Zazie Beetz's Thriller 'They Will Kill You' Is a Box Office Flop, But an HBO Max Hit

Zazie Beetz’s first major leading role arrived with a thud at the box office, but the film has found its audience where it matters now: at home. According to a report from Collider, her 2026 action-horror film They Will Kill You is finally getting the recognition it deserves after a disappointing theatrical run, becoming a top performer on HBO Max.

Released in late March 2026, the film earned a meager $10.9 million in U.S. and Canadian theaters. With a reported production budget of $20 million before marketing costs, that domestic gross wasn't nearly enough to turn a profit. The film's worldwide total reached $19 million, leaving it a clear financial miss for its studio.

Why Did It Flop in Theaters?

The film’s underperformance was partly tied to its marketing. The trailer presented a simple premise: a woman answers a housekeeping ad at a mysterious building, only to find herself hunted by a wealthy, satanic cult. This surface-level plot made it look like a direct clone of the 2019 hit Ready or Not—a comparison that wasn't helped when the sequel Ready or Not 2: Here I Come hit theaters the same month. That initial impression may have kept audiences away, despite the films being quite different.

What Is 'They Will Kill You' Really About?

The story is more personal and chaotic than a simple cult hunt. Beetz plays Asia, an ex-con who, alongside her sister Maria (Myha'la), is fleeing their abusive father. After a tragedy separates them, Asia is released from prison a decade later and begins a desperate search for her missing sibling. Her quest leads her to a massive New York City high-rise called The Virgil, where she poses as a maid to gain entry. Once inside, she discovers the building is controlled by a deadly cult led by Patricia Arquette's Lily Woodhouse, and the film shifts into high gear.

Instead of a tense game of hide-and-seek, They Will Kill You becomes a gory, action-packed thriller. The fight scenes are highly choreographed and kinetic, drawing clear inspiration from Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill films. Beetz wanted her character's fighting style to feel intentionally unpolished and scrappy. "I would say her style was a little more street scrappy," the actor told Collider, emphasizing that Asia is a survivor, not a trained fighter.

The film also ventures into unexpectedly supernatural territory in its final act, distinguishing it further from its genre cousins. This blend of action, horror, and dark comedy has connected with streaming audiences. As of July 2026, it is the number three most-watched film in the United States on HBO Max, proving there was an appetite for the film that theaters didn't capture.

Sources

• Box Office Mojo
• HBO Max