Sydney Sweeney’s Boxing Biopic Hits The Canvas At The Box Office

Sydney Sweeney’s highly anticipated boxing biopic “Christy” didn’t exactly come out swinging.

The film, in which the “Euphoria” star portrays Hall of Fame boxer Christy Martin, stumbled in its opening weekend, earning just a little one $1 million across more than 2,000 theaters.

Despite strong performances and an inspiring real-life story, “Christy” struggled to find its audience, leaving many surprised that Sweeney’s latest project failed to deliver a knockout at the Box Office.

Sweeney’s “Christy” opened in 2,011 theaters but managed only $1.3 million, averaging $649 per venue, according to The Wrap.

The disappointing start placed it among the top 12 worst openings for films shown on more than 2,000 screens.

The film currently holds a 67% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but the poor turnout has raised questions about why audiences didn’t show up for the biopic.

Three of the few movies ranking below “Christy” were released during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, a time when theaters were still struggling to recover.

That comparison makes its low debut especially striking, given that Sweeney is one of Hollywood’s most talked-about young stars.

The sports drama also marked the first U.S. release handled directly by Black Bear Pictures, a studio best known for acclaimed titles like “The Imitation Game” and “Mudbound.”

Despite the disappointing box office numbers, Sydney Sweeney gave her all to the role of boxing legend Christy Martin.

The actress revealed during an interview that she wanted the fight scenes to be as realistic as possible.

“When I walked in and I met with everyone, I said, ‘I want you to hit me. And I want you to hit me hard. And can I hit you?’” she recalled per the Daily Mail.

She added, “When you watch all those fights, we’re actually hitting each other. We were knocking each other out, we were getting bloody noses. I got [a] concussion. We were actually fighting.”

The actress even explained that one of her co-stars, Katy O’Brian, who played fellow boxer Lisa Holewyne, had only one request: “Please don’t break my nose.”

Sweeney’s dedication was intense. “The girls and all the fights you see are real,” she said, showing her commitment to portraying Martin’s power and determination authentically.

To prepare for "Christy," Sweeney completely transformed herself physically and mentally.

“I built my own Rocky gym in my grandma’s shed and I trained back home in Idaho,” she shared.

The 28-year-old revealed that she gained 35 pounds during her three-month training regimen.

“I worked with my weight trainer in the morning and night, and then I had a boxing coach I worked with every day for two to three hours.”

The Emmy-nominated star also consumed protein shakes regularly to bulk up for the demanding role.

Her preparation mirrored the discipline of a professional athlete, something that helped her embody Martin’s grit and endurance.

Martin, known as “The Coalminer’s Daughter,” made history as Don King’s first female boxing client.

She gained fame in 1996 after winning the World Boxing Council women’s lightweight championship in a bloody Las Vegas match and became the first female boxer to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

Sydney Sweeney celebrated the film’s release by sharing behind-the-scenes photos on Instagram for her 25.4 million followers.

In her caption, she expressed deep gratitude to her team and admiration for Martin’s inspiring story.

“I walked onto set everyday surrounded by a crew that poured their hearts and souls into this story,” she wrote. “I fought alongside a group of women who became my family.”

Sweeney said the story of Martin inspired everyone involved in the movie to step into their power.

She added, “Her story made us fight harder for ourselves and for every woman who has ever been silenced.”

The Hollywood star called the experience painful, joyful, resilient, beautiful, and thanked director David Michôd for believing in her.

“Thank you David for believing in me,” she wrote. “I will never forget the way it changed me.”

“Christy’s” release comes just months after Sweeney found herself at the center of controversy over an American Eagle ad campaign.

The brand’s fall campaign used the tagline “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” a play on the word “genes,” which some critics said carried racial undertones.

“Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair colour, personality and even eye colour… my genes are blue,” Sweeney said in the campaign video.

The backlash grew so large that even President Donald Trump publicly supported her and the brand.

Reflecting on the uproar, Sweeney told GQ, “I did a jean ad. I mean, the reaction definitely was a surprise, but I love jeans.” She added, “All I wear are jeans. I’m literally in jeans and a T-shirt every day of my life.”