How ‘The Housemaid’ Saved Lionsgate’s Quarter

The Housemaid didn’t just break hearts at the box office — it quietly rescued Lionsgate’s bottom line. The studio posted $906.5 million in revenue for its fiscal fourth quarter ended March 31, blowing past Wall Street’s projection of $810.6 million and marking a 4.7% increase over the same period last year.

The motion picture group was the engine behind it all. Segment revenue hit $651.9 million — up 23% year-over-year — while segment profit climbed 39% to $187.1 million, compared to $135.3 million in the prior-year quarter. Adjusted net income came in at $111.6 million, or 37 cents per share, well ahead of analysts’ 23-cent estimate. Lionsgate’s stock jumped 3.8% in after-hours trading to $13.80 per share.

The Housemaid was the centerpiece of it all. The thriller grossed nearly $400 million at the worldwide box office, had a strong PVOD run once it left theaters, and landed as the top Pay One title ever on Starz — the studio’s sister streaming service. That kind of multi-window performance is exactly what a mid-sized studio like Lionsgate needs to compete, and this one delivered on every front.

The quarter also got a boost from sequels to Greenland and The Strangers, plus strong ancillary performance from Now You See Me: Now You Don’t and healthy library sales. Lionsgate’s library has now hit $1 billion in trailing 12-month revenue for three consecutive quarters — a milestone CEO Jon Feltheimer is clearly proud of.

“All of the pieces of our business are coming together,” Feltheimer said. “Our library has achieved a billion dollars in trailing 12-month revenue for three quarters in a row, more than half of our film, television and live entertainment slates are comprised of branded, repeatable properties, and massive hits like ‘The Housemaid’ and ‘Michael’ are strengthening our brand and increasing our forward visibility. We enter fiscal 27 positioned to deliver the earnings power and value creation that our shareholders expect.”

The TV Side Took a Hit — But There’s a Plan

Not everything was rosy. Lionsgate’s television production arm had a rough quarter, with revenue falling sharply to $254.6 million from $543.3 million a year ago, and segment profit dropping to $30.5 million from $40.6 million. The studio was quick to point out the drop was a timing issue — episodic deliveries didn’t land in the same window as the year-ago period — rather than a sign of weakness in the slate itself.

And that slate is genuinely strong. Lionsgate TV produces The Studio for Apple TV+, the fan-favorite Yellowjackets, and The Rainmaker. The company says it expects to double its scripted deliveries in fiscal 2027 compared to 2026, which should make the TV numbers look considerably healthier this time next year.

The Best Part? ‘Michael’ Wasn’t Even in the Numbers

Here’s what makes this quarter even more remarkable: Michael, Lionsgate’s blockbuster musical biopic about Michael Jackson, didn’t open until April — meaning none of its ticket sales counted toward these results. The film is already on track to cross $300 million domestically, which means the studio’s next earnings report could be even more impressive.

For a studio that spent a few years fighting through a theatrical slump, Lionsgate is looking like it’s firmly back. The Housemaid did the heavy lifting this quarter. Now it’s Michael’s turn.