Sydney Sweeney Americana Flops at US Box Office Amid Controversy

Sydney Sweeney's latest film, Americana, a Western crime thriller, underperformed at the box office, earning around $500,000 to $840,000 across approximately 1,100 theaters, finishing in 16th place. Industry analysts and sources attribute this lackluster performance partly to backlash from Sweeney's controversial American Eagle ad campaign, which featured a pun on "genes" and "jeans" that some critics viewed as racially insensitive, sparking online debate and celebrity criticism. The controversy was further inflamed by Sweeney's public registration as a Republican in Florida and support from former President Donald Trump, who praised the ad on Truth Social. Despite the poor theatrical showing, Deadline and Lionsgate emphasize that Americana was never intended as a blockbuster and is still expected to be modestly profitable through a multi-platform release strategy, including premium video-on-demand. Critics note that indie films like Americana often find their success more in critical reception and festival premieres than initial box office returns, and Sweeney's overall career popularity remains strong despite the current controversy. The film's middling Rotten Tomatoes score and the summer release amid a crowded market also contributed to its challenges.