"Other Mommy," Universal and Blumhouse's horror film starring Jessica Chastain, opened at the top of the North American box office over the weekend of October 9–11, taking in an estimated $27.5 million domestically from 3,365 theaters, according to studio figures reported by the Associated Press. The result beat pre-release tracking, which had projected a start closer to $20 million.
The film added roughly $17.6 million from 50 international markets for a global debut near $45 million, against a reported production budget of about $19 million, putting it on track to clear its break-even point even before marketing costs, according to an analysis from TheWrap.
Strong turnout, weak marks
Despite the opening, audiences were unimpressed: the film received a D+ CinemaScore, among the lowest grades handed to a wide release in recent years. Universal's head of domestic distribution, Jim Orr, framed the turnout itself as a win regardless of the reception.
No matter how you look at it, everybody turned out for it. It wasn't just one particular demographic.
Jim Orr, head of domestic distribution, Universal Pictures
Directed by Rob Savage and adapted from Josh Malerman's 2024 novel "Incidents Around the House," the film gives Chastain a dual role as a mother and the malevolent entity impersonating her, opposite Jay Duplass, Arabella Olivia Clark and Karen Allen. Early critical notices skewed heavily negative alongside the poor audience grade, though final tallies on review-aggregation sites were still settling in the days immediately after release.
The weekend's other new wide release, Sony's political drama "The Social Reckoning," written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, opened well behind it at an estimated $5.5 million but with a sturdier B- CinemaScore. Paul Dergarabedian, Rentrak's head of marketplace trends, noted that films built around current events carry an inherent risk.
These movies that are topical in nature, sometimes they resonate with the culture, sometimes they don't.
Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends, Rentrak
"Other Mommy" now heads into a crowded run-up to Halloween, with "Resident Evil" still holding a top-five slot and more horror titles due before the end of the month. Distributors and analysts will be watching its second-weekend drop closely for a read on whether the weak reviews and audience grade cap its total haul well short of the pace its opening suggested.