Sydney Sweeney demonstrated that she knows how to take a punch — albeit one delivered by the box office. The star of Christy, the new biopic chronicling the life of boxer Christy Martin, defended her film after a notably weak opening weekend: just US$1.3 million across more than 2,000 screens. 

At age 28, Sweeney took to Instagram to express her feelings following the film’s debut. She wrote: “I am so deeply proud of this movie. Proud of the film David made. Proud of the story we told.” She continued: “So yes I'm proud. Why? Because we don’t always make art for numbers, we make it for impact. And Christy has been the most impactful project of my life.” 

The drama depicts Christy Martin’s rise from humble beginnings — the daughter of a coal miner turned boxing pioneer nicknamed “The Coal Miner’s Daughter” — through to her professional triumphs and personal battles, including domestic abuse and a near-fatal attack. 

Critical reaction to the film was mixed but audience response was strong. The film holds a near-excellent audience rating (98% or more) on review aggregator platforms, even if critics were less enthusiastic. 

Yet, despite the favourable audience sentiment, the numbers tell a tougher story. The $1.3 million opening places Christy among the worst wide-release debuts ever for a film playing on more than 2,000 screens. It averaged roughly $649 per theatre, a remarkably low figure for such a broad release. 

This box-office result adds to a challenging year for Sweeney on the big screen. Her crime-comedy Americana pulled in less than $500,000 at the domestic box office despite a modest budget, and Eden (directed by Ron Howard) managed just $2.5 million on a $35 million production. 

On the upside, Sweeney enjoyed major commercial success in the preceding years. Her romantic-comedy Anyone But You grossed around $220 million worldwide, and the religious horror film Immaculate made about $35 million. 

Industry observers note a broader trend: adult-skewing dramas and biopics with A-list or rising stars are increasingly struggling in theatres. High-profile releases such as The Smashing Machine (starring Dwayne Johnson), The Kiss of the Spider Woman (with Jennifer Lopez) and Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere (featuring Jeremy Allen White) have all encountered disappointing box-office returns. 

In Sweeney’s case, the film’s commercial failure may stem from multiple factors: limited marketing, the subject’s lower name recognition compared to major biopic subjects, competition from other genre releases, and even the actor’s own recent controversies. 

Despite the setback, Sweeney remains defiant and focused on the message. “This film stands for survival, courage and hope. Through our campaign, we’ve helped raise awareness for so many affected by domestic violence,” she posted. “If Christy gave even one woman the courage to take her first step toward safety, then we will have succeeded.”