Universal and Blumhouse's new horror release Other Mommy has claimed the No. 1 spot at the US domestic box office with a projected $28M opening weekend (October 9–11, 2026), even as audiences handed the film one of the worst grades of the year. Trade reports, including Deadline, put the Sunday estimate at $27.5M, with final numbers expected on Monday, October 12 — either way, the film easily topped the studio's roughly $20M projection.
Directed by Rob Savage and based on Josh Malerman's novel Incidents Around the House, the Atomic Monster production stars Jessica Chastain in a dual role as mother Ursula and the sinister entity that torments her family. The cast also includes Arabella Olivia Clark, Jay Duplass, Dichen Lachman, Arian Moayed and Karen Allen, with James Wan producing. Our earlier Other Mommy (2026) songs and music coverage rounded up the film's soundtrack details ahead of its theatrical run.
Film: Other Mommy
Director: Rob Savage
Cast: Jessica Chastain, Arabella Olivia Clark, Jay Duplass, Dichen Lachman, Arian Moayed, Karen Allen
Studio: Universal / Blumhouse – Atomic Monster
Release Date: October 9, 2026 (US)
Budget: $18–19M (reported)
Opening: $28M projected (October 9–11, 2026)
A $28M Opening — Well Above Expectations
The film earned $12.6M on Friday, including $3.6M from Thursday previews, playing in 3,365 theaters, according to reported estimates. That put it well ahead of the studio's roughly $20M pre-release projection — and against a reported production budget of $18–19M, the film is already close to covering its cost in its first three days. The $28M estimate also comes in just shy of Verity, which took the top spot with $32.6M in our earlier box-office report.
The Social Reckoning Trails Far Behind
Aaron Sorkin's The Social Reckoning opened a distant second with an estimated $6M, including $2.15M on Friday from 2,606 theaters. The drama's debut looks soft next to its predecessor The Social Network, which opened to $22.4M. Elsewhere in theaters, Tom Cruise's Digger recently arrived to give moviegoers another big-screen option — but none of this weekend's competition could touch the horror hit's numbers.
Audiences Delivered Their Verdict Anyway
The commercial success stands in sharp contrast to the film's reception. CinemaScore audiences gave Other Mommy a D+, reportedly the worst audience grade for a wide release since Megalopolis (2024). Critics were hardly kinder: the film holds roughly 18–20% on Rotten Tomatoes with critics and 46–48% with audiences, alongside a 39/100 on Metacritic — making it one of the worst-received wide releases of 2026 so far, as reported by trade outlets. The commercial outlook for Blumhouse horror stays strong regardless, with upcoming genre titles like The Exorcist: Martyrs (2027) already dated on the release calendar.
Watch the Official Trailer
Watch the official trailer for the film below, courtesy of Universal Pictures:
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What was Other Mommy's opening weekend total?
A: The film is projected to open with $28M domestically over the October 9–11 weekend; Deadline reported a $27.5M Sunday estimate, with final figures expected Monday, October 12.
Q: Will the bad reception hurt the film financially?
A: Probably not much — with an $18–19M budget against a $28M opening, the film is already well on its way to profitability in its first three days.
Q: Who stars in Other Mommy?
A: Jessica Chastain headlines in a dual role, joined by Arabella Olivia Clark, Jay Duplass, Dichen Lachman, Arian Moayed and Karen Allen. Rob Savage directed and James Wan produced.
Q: Which film did Other Mommy beat at the box office?
A: Aaron Sorkin's The Social Reckoning finished a distant second with an estimated $6M opening.
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