Jessica Chastain’s horror Other Mommy opened at number one with an estimated $12.6 million domestically, after $3.6 million in Thursday previews. Critics and audiences gave the film poor scores and word-of-mouth was overwhelmingly negative, though some reviewers called it a campy but intermittently effective haunted-kid horror and noted Chastain plays both the titular mommy and the Other Mommy. Industry reporting says Other Mommy should cover its production costs because of a low budget and its wide release across thousands of exhibition sites. The film’s weak reception contrasts with its modest financial safety, while the drama sequel The Social Reckoning opened far below expectations and faces significant losses, illustrating differing commercial risks for modern studio projects.
