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Believe it or not, there was a time when Sydney Sweeney wasn't really a household name. While she did get her start as an actor quite early, with her first roles as a child being in movies like The Ward and ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction, it was her work in The Handmaid's Tale and Sharp Objects that really showed off her talents. Thanks to its compelling subject matter and its provocative exploration of Gen Z, it was really HBO's Euphoria that took her fame to new heights.
Still, it's one thing to be a standout on the small screen, but it's another to carry the weight of a whole movie. While movies like Nocturne, Night Teeth, and The Voyeurs gave a better showcase of her talents, these movies were released during the coronavirus pandemic and went straight to streaming, so Hollywood largely didn't know if she had what it took to be as big a star in movies as on TV. Then, in 2023, she starred alongside Glen Powell in the romantic comedy Anyone But You, which cemented her draw as a movie star.
While the movie has been available on home video and on streaming platforms for years, today marks the official release of the movie's all-new 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. In addition to getting a major video and audio upgrade, the disc does come with some features not previously available, namely an audio commentary from director Will Gluck and stars Sweeney and Powell. This joins the previously released featurettes and bloopers.
Anyone But You was one of 2023's more surprising releases, as it debuted in December, which isn't typically the go-to release window for a rom-com. Sitting at only 53% positive reviews, industry pundits were all the more surprised when the movie would go on to earn $220 million worldwide on a budget of only $25 million. The movie had such long-term success that it even earned the release of an extended version when Valentine's Day 2024 rolled around.
At least one significant factor in the movie's box-office success was the promotional push towards its release. Namely, both Sweeney and Powell were stars on the rise, with their combined heat understandably doubling the movie's appeal. Additionally, in the day and age of social media scrutiny, the pair regularly shared social media updates of one another that showcased that they had chemistry off-screen as well. Complicating matters was that they were both in relationships at the time, sparking endless debates about whether the pair were actually jump-starting a relationship with one another.
Years later, the pair have regularly refuted claims that there was any romance, despite their clear connection. It seems as though their connection only helped the release of the movie, with Anyone But Youbeing a defining kickstart to both of their mainstream Hollywood successes. Sweeney similarly had a big box-office success with the December release The Housemaid, with the actor set to star in that film's sequel, as well as the upcoming Gundam and Barbarella movies. Powell, meanwhile, followed the movie with Twisters and The Running Man, and has Season 2 of his Hulu series Chad Powers in the works.
