The Brutal Reason Sydney Sweeney's Boxing Movie Flopped So Badly — And Failed to Put Her Among A-List Mob of 'Heavyweight' Stars

Sydney Sweeney found herself on the wrong end of a cinematic knockout when her boxing biopic Christy collapsed at the box office – and OK! can now reveal why her buzzy prestige project faltered in the battered indie film market.

Euphoria star Sweeney, 28, arrived at the Toronto International Film Festival in September with what looked like an awards season contender.

Christy, a $15 million biographical drama about pioneering boxer Christy Martin, was built around a dramatic physical transformation by Sweeney, who also served as a producer.

Directed by David Michôd and positioned alongside past "ugly-up" vehicles that won stars Oscars for ditching their usually glamorous looks on screen, the film debuted amid heavy festival buzz and was quickly slated for a wide November release by its financier, Black Bear, through the company's new distribution arm.

Instead, Christy suffered a punishing debut. Opening on 2,011 screens across the U.S. and Canada on November 7, the R-rated drama grossed just $1.3 million in its first weekend, placing it among the worst wide releases on record.

Within a week, the film lost more than half its screens, effectively ending its theatrical run and raising questions about strategy rather than star power.

But industry insiders tell us its failure had little to do with Sweeney's performance.

One source close to the release said: "The film's struggles were not a reflection on Syd's appeal. It was a case of a small, carefully calibrated project being thrown into direct competition with blockbusters it was never designed to challenge."

Another added: "There is still a belief that casting a popular star guarantees a strong opening. In today's market, that assumption no longer holds sway."

The Christy collapse came despite aggressive positioning. Black Bear spent roughly $10 million on marketing and opted for a nationwide rollout rather than a platform release.

According to a Hollywood agent with longstanding indie ties, that choice proved fatal.

They said rolling out smaller films wide has become "very challenging," and argued limited releases once allowed word of mouth to build before expanding.

But pitting Christy against major studio fare, the source said, left it unable to "hold screens" in a crowded marketplace.

Black Bear's owner and chief executive, Teddy Schwarzman, defended the approach, saying the company's exposure due to the film's budget was "modest" and emphasizing Sweeney's awards-worthy turn.

He said: "Christy was made for under $20 million, closer to $15 million. Our exposure, from a U.S. standpoint, is modest… audiences have really sparked to it."

Yet analysts argue the wider context was unforgiving. Multiplexes remain strained by the aftershocks of the Covid pandemic, and the 2023 Hollywood strikes, leaving fewer viable windows for adult dramas.

Sources say the outcome for the boxing flick also has serious implications for Sweeney's career trajectory.

One studio insider said: "Sydney has clear pull in digital spaces and mainstream romantic comedies, but this release exposed how difficult it is to convert that popularity into broad audiences for serious, awards-minded films."

Another added: "The expectation was that this film would elevate Sydney into the top tier of awards contenders. Instead, it underscored just how unforgiving the current economics are, even for hot stars. Sydney had hoped transforming her body for Christy would also automatically lead to her being ranked among A-list heavyweights like Robert De Niro, but boxing training alone isn't going to achieve that feat."

Sweeney has publicly stood by the film, declaring she was "deeply proud" of Christy and insisting art is not only about numbers. Privately, sources say the lesson has been sobering across Hollywood.

One industry source said: "The outcome was not a judgment on her appeal. It was a stark illustration of how fragile the independent film ecosystem has become, regardless of hype."