Taylor Swift’s ‘I Did Something Bad’ provides the perfect musical exclamation point to The Housemaid’s twist ending, with director Paul Feig initially convinced the singer would never clear the track—making its inclusion a significant victory that underscores the film’s themes and potential franchise future.
When Paul Feig envisioned the closing moments of his psychological thriller The Housemaid, he knew only one song could perfectly capture the complex morality of protagonist Millie’s actions: Taylor Swift’s defiant Reputation track “I Did Something Bad.” What he didn’t expect was that Swift would actually approve its use.
“We were tempting with it, and we were like, ‘It’s so perfect, but she’s never gonna clear this,'” Feig revealed at the film’s premiere, a detail confirmed by Deadline. The director’s surprise underscores both the rarity of Swift’s music licensing approvals and the perfect thematic alignment between song and scene.
Why This Song Matters For The Ending
The placement of “I Did Something Bad” isn’t merely a musical choice—it serves as crucial narrative commentary on the film’s ambiguous conclusion. As the credits roll, Millie (Sydney Sweeney) interviews with a new family, recommended by Nina (Amanda Seyfried), only to discover the new employer bears the same telltale bruise indicating another abusive situation requiring intervention.
Swift’s lyrics—”I never trust a narcissist/But they love me/So I play ’em like a violin”—directly mirror Millie’s transformation from victim to calculated operator within the toxic dynamics of wealthy households. The song’s chorus, “They say I did something bad/Then why’s it feel so good?” perfectly captures the moral complexity of Millie’s actions throughout the film.
The Bigger Picture: Franchise Potential
Swift’s approval signals more than just a great musical moment—it suggests broader industry confidence in the project’s quality and potential. The film adapts Freida McFadden’s bestselling 2022 novel, which spawned multiple sequels, creating natural franchise opportunities.
Both lead actors have expressed interest in continuing the story. Seyfried stated she would “absolutely” want to do more films, while Sweeney told reporters, “I hope that the audience loves the movies just like we love the books, and we can continue to hopefully share that love within more of the films.”
Feig himself acknowledged the possibilities, telling The Hollywood Reporter that because the story is part of a series, “if people show up and see it, I would love to see what Millie does next.”
Swift’s Selective Licensing History
The significance of Swift approving “I Did Something Bad” becomes clearer when examining her historically selective approach to music licensing. Unlike many artists who frequently license their music, Swift maintains tight control over where her songs appear, particularly since reclaiming her masters.
Her approvals typically go to projects that align with her artistic vision or personal values. Recent examples include:
- Wildest Dreams in the film The Secret Garden (2020)
- Carolina written specifically for Where the Crawdads Sing (2022)
- Anti-Hero in the trailer for The Marvels (2023)
The fact that Swift and her team approved “I Did Something Bad” after viewing the complete film suggests they recognized the thematic resonance between the song’s message and Millie’s journey.
What This Means For The Housemaid’s Reception
Music supervisors and industry insiders recognize that securing a Swift song—particularly one from her critically acclaimed Reputation album—represents a major coup that can significantly impact a film’s cultural footprint.
The combination of:
- Swift’s massive fanbase potentially discovering the film through the song
- The perfect thematic alignment enhancing the viewing experience
- The prestige associated with Swift’s selective approvals
creates a powerful promotional advantage that most thrillers never achieve. This musical choice positions The Housemaid as both a commercial product and a thoughtful artistic work worthy of Swift’s endorsement.
The Road Ahead
With the film now in theaters and generating conversation about its ending and musical choices, the focus shifts to audience response. Strong box office performance could trigger greenlights for adaptations of McFadden’s subsequent novels The Housemaid’s Secret and The Housemaid Is Watching.
The involvement of major talents like Sweeney, Seyfried, and Feig—combined with Swift’s musical endorsement—creates a powerful foundation for a potential franchise. As Feig noted, the story naturally continues, and Millie’s journey as a character who operates in moral gray areas has plenty of territory left to explore.
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