Sydney Sweeney's Euphoria Fame Saved This Horror Movie From Being Canceled

Michael Mohan's 2024 horror thriller "Immaculate" is another entry in the well-worn "demon baby" genre, a horror sub-category that solidified in 1968 with the release of "Rosemary's Baby." In the film, Sydney Sweeney plays Cecilia, a young nun who moves into an Italian convent, following her own spiritual senses. While there, she shockingly becomes immaculately pregnant, and the convent sees her child as potentially divine. Of course, there is a shadowy conspiracy afoot, and Cecilia begins to suspect that some of the older nuns and the convent's local priest (Álvaro Morte) might be involving her in some sort of demonic ritual. The film has a gloriously shocking ending, although it's a little too arch and arty to be the trashy thrill it aims to be. It's unusual that "Immaculate" came out so close to "The First Omen," another demonic pregnancy thriller about a young nun.

Sweeney, it should be noted, served as a producer on "Immaculate" and got it finally put into production after a long spell of being trapped in development hell. As Mohan told The Hollywood Reporter at the time of the film's release, Sweeney actually auditioned to play Sister Cecilia a full decade earlier in 2014. That version of the project never moved forward, however, and Sweeney went on to bigger and better things. She would begin to break out in the late 2010s and gained a lot of recognition for her roles on HBO's "The White Lotus" and especially "Euphoria." After that, Sweeney became one of the biggest stars of her generation, appearing in ultra-hits like "Anyone But You" and even notable duds such as "Madame Web." As evidenced by her many ad campaigns, Sweeney is also a savvy businesswoman and knows how to wrangle products and movies with equal aplomb.

Indeed, it was that very sensibility — coupled with her newfound fame post-"Euphoria" — that led to Sweeney eventually getting "Immaculate" off the ground.

Sweeney and Mohan, it should be noted, have collaborated on several projects, starting with the Netflix TV series "Everything Sucks!" They also worked together on the wonderfully trashy sex thriller "The Voyeurs" — which was Mohan's brainchild — before the actor brought the director onto "Immaculate." As Mohan recalled the chain of events:

"[The movie] happened because Syd hired me to direct this movie. Basically, after 'Euphoria' season 2 came out, her fans were just clamoring for her to do a horror film, and she also had aspirations to produce. So, she figured that [horror] would be the perfect opportunity to actually take that first step towards a producing career. So, she partnered with her partner, Jonathan Davino [...] and they scoured the town trying to find the perfect horror script for her to really give the fans what they wanted."

Mohan added that Sweeney remembered the script to "Immaculate" from when she was only 15 or 16, and felt that it would be perfect for her as a producer. She called the screenwriter, Andrew Lobel, and asked if his script was still for sale. It was. Lobel gave Sweeney his blessing (and sold her his script), and she ran with it. Sweeney then mailed Mohan the script almost immediately. The pair had been looking for another excuse to work together, it seems, and this was the magic project. Mohan continued:

"We traded scripts here and there after 'Voyeurs,' because we just really wanted to work together again, but I didn't feel like I could bring something special to some of the earlier scripts that she sent me. So, 'Immaculate' was the first time where I read the script and was like, 'Yes, I know how to do this. I know I can knock this out of park for her.'"

The film grossed $35 million at the global box office against a $9 million budget, making it a hit for both Mohan and Sweeney.

Those who have seen "Immaculate" likely recall its shocking ending. I won't spoil it here, but it's a pretty gory finale that involves a lot of screaming, a lot of blood, and a large heavy stone. In a separate interview with THR, Mohan revealed the grisly conclusion was his idea. Of course, Sweeney and the film's other producers also liked it, and Sweeney herself was certainly game. As Mohan put it:

"[The original] ending was a lot more traditional, and I had this idea for what the ending could be. [...] I think [it's] perhaps the most disturbing ending of any mainstream horror film."

Speaking in that same interview, Sweeney emphasized that she had been looking for a horror project to produce, as her many fans demanded it. Looking to fellow movie stars like Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt, she figured she, too, could oversee a production company. In her own words:

"I already had the script, so I was really excited to see everybody's reactions to 'Euphoria' season 2 and everybody being like, 'A horror film! Give us a horror film!' [...] I was like, 'Just you wait! I have something in store for you.' I held onto it for a long time."

It took a decade, but it finally came to be. Sweeney, meanwhile, plans to continue producing her movies going forward. She will star in and executive produce Paul Feig's upcoming thriller "The Housemaid" (which is due in theaters in December 2025) and is serving as a producer and star in David Michôd's upcoming biopic about boxer Christy Martin. Sweeney, only 27, remains a Hollywood force to be reckoned with.