may have been an unknown less than a decade ago, but While she has technically been working in the industry since she was a child, taking on supporting roles, her big break came in 2019, when she made her debut as Cassie on the hit HBO show Euphoria. Her stardom was further solidified two years later when her character took a more prominent role in Euphoria season 2 and she played a role in The White Lotus season 1.

These parts saw the actor be nominated for two Emmys in the same season. Following this TV boom, Sweeney appeared in some notable movies, including the hit romance film Anyone But You. when she played the lead role in the nunsploitation horror film Immaculate. After significant career momentum in the last few years, Sweeney is set to have another big year in 2025, and two of her movies have an interesting release schedule.

. The first title is directed by Tony Tost and follows the story of a group of outsiders and outcasts whose lives come together when they vie for control of a rare Lakota Ghost shirt. The Americana trailer has been released and has already garnered comparisons to Quentin Tarantino for its combination of humor and over-the-top violence. In addition to Sweeney, Americana's cast includes Paul Walter Hauser, Toby Huss, Zahn McClarnon, Eric Dane, and Halsey.

Eden, on the other hand, is a psychological thriller about a group of people who leave everything behind in order to live in the Galápagos. The movie is directed by Ron Howard and features a script by Noah Pink. In addition to Sweeney, Eden features Jude Law, Ana de Armas, Vanessa Kirby, and Jonathan Tittel.

Curiously, both Americana and Eden had long paths to wide release. but did not secure distribution until March 2024. Eden premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last year but subsequently struggled to find a distributor due to its high budget. It finally received a theatrical distribution from Vertical this April, setting an August 22 release date. While there have been plenty of box office battles in recent years, it is rare to see two movies by the same actor duke it out.

Based on their plots and production scales, . After all, they are both releasing in late summer, on a weekend that is already slated to include Ethan Coen's Honey Don't and the Dakota Johnson-led comedy Splitsville. That said, the Sweeney versus Sweeney battle will still be interesting to witness come August.

It seems almost certain that The movie's early reviews are far superior out of the two, as it has a 100% Tomatometer while Howard's film has a rotten 57%. That said, Eden got a positive review from ScreenRant's Mae Abdulbaki, who gave the movie 7 out of 10 stars and called it "dark, chaotic fun." Given the consensus, however, it seems Americana will be the better movie, and its review superiority could easily spill over into box office success.

That said, Howard is a much more well-known director compared to Tost. He has produced some huge box office hits, including The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons. As such, those familiar with his work could be interested in seeing what he has to offer with Eden, giving it a box office edge. It seems like Americana still has a good shot at prevailing in the great competition of 2025, but the clout behind Howard should not be ignored.