Other Mommy Tops Weekend Box Office as The Social Reckoning Struggles

The weekend paired Jessica Chastain's horror film "Other Mommy" with the Jeremy Strong Facebook drama "The Social Reckoning." Before either opened widely, forecasts already favored the horror release.

On October 7, Variety Movies reported that "Other Mommy" was targeting more than $20 million, while Sony's "The Social Reckoning" was aiming for $7 million. The eventual gap would be considerably wider.

On October 8, scrutiny shifted toward the horror film's reception. The Hollywood Reporter reported that Universal was holding it back from most critics until the last minute, with early reactions including a sharply negative assessment of Chastain's performance. Variety Movies also published a review describing the film as misfiring in every direction.

The October 9 reviews were not uniformly hostile. /Film argued that the movie failed to match Chastain's commitment, while The Hindu praised Chastain, Arabella Olivia Clark and the physical effects. IndieWire Movies described director Rob Savage's adaptation of Josh Malerman's 2024 novel as hypnotic and demented.

Ticket sales told a different story. On October 9, Deadline Hollywood reported $3.6 million in previews for "Other Mommy," from 2,850 theaters, against $650,000 for "The Social Reckoning." The horror film was opening on 3,365 screens that day.

By October 10, Variety Movies reported opening-day earnings of $12.6 million for "Other Mommy" and $2.15 million for "The Social Reckoning." The Hollywood Reporter put the horror film on course for a $28 million debut, but also reported a D+ CinemaScore.

The October 11 weekend report settled at $27.5 million for "Other Mommy" and $5.5 million for "The Social Reckoning," according to Variety Movies. The horror release finished first in North America.

"Other Mommy" drew a bigger opening audience than expected, as ABC Top Stories reported. Its $27.5 million debut exceeded the initial $20 million-plus forecast, while "The Social Reckoning" fell short of its $7 million target.

The opening establishes a clear commercial winner, not a critical consensus. The strongly negative reviews sit alongside praise for performances and effects, and the D+ CinemaScore reported by The Hollywood Reporter adds an unfavorable audience signal to that mixed reception.

The next test is whether "Other Mommy" can hold its audience beyond opening weekend. Its strong debut and D+ CinemaScore point in different directions, leaving repeat business and subsequent ticket sales unresolved. For "The Social Reckoning," the question is whether sales improve after an opening below its initial target.