Other Mommy dominates the box office as The Social Reckoning struggles
Other Mommy opened with $27.5 million at the North American box office, outperforming The Social Reckoning, which debuted with $5.5 million.
Jessica Chastain's horror film Other Mommy has topped the North American box office with an estimated $27.5 million opening, outperforming The Social Reckoning, which debuted with approximately $5.5 million.
The figures, reported by the Associated Press on 11 October 2026, highlight a striking contrast between the two films' opening weekends. Other Mommy exceeded expectations despite poor reviews, while The Social Reckoning struggled to attract a comparable audience.
The results offer a fresh talking point about audience demand, theatrical performance and the commercial appeal of horror films.
How did Other Mommy perform?
Released by Universal Pictures, Other Mommy earned an estimated $27.5 million across 3,365 North American cinemas during its opening weekend.
The film follows a young girl who believes a sinister supernatural creature is impersonating her mother. Despite receiving a D+ CinemaScore and unfavourable reviews from critics and audiences, the film delivered a strong commercial opening.
Its reported production budget of approximately $19 million also gives the opening figures important context. The film generated an estimated $45.2 million worldwide across 50 international markets during its debut, although its eventual profitability will depend on additional revenue and distribution costs.
The performance adds to a strong year for horror at the North American box office, demonstrating that critical reception and opening-weekend audience demand do not always move in the same direction.
The Social Reckoning faces a difficult start
The Social Reckoning opened with an estimated $5.5 million from 2,606 North American cinemas.
Written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, the film centres on a Facebook whistleblower who leaks incriminating documents to a Wall Street Journal reporter. Its subject places it within a tradition of dramas examining the power of technology companies and the consequences of corporate decisions.
The film's opening was considerably lower than that of Other Mommy, despite the two titles arriving during the same weekend. The difference highlights the challenges facing theatrical dramas competing for attention in a crowded release calendar.
However, opening-weekend figures alone do not determine a film's eventual commercial performance. Subsequent audience interest, international receipts and its longer theatrical run will help establish how the two releases fare.
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What the results say about the film industry
The contrast provides another example of horror's ability to attract cinema audiences, even when reviews are unfavourable. Genre recognition, a clear premise and the appeal of a theatrical scare may all contribute to a film's opening, although the available figures do not establish a single reason for Other Mommy's performance.
For studios and distributors, the comparison also illustrates why box-office results need to be assessed alongside budgets, international markets and longer-term revenue. A larger opening does not automatically establish which film will deliver the better overall return.
Other Mommy's strong debut gives the horror genre another notable result, while The Social Reckoning has started its theatrical run from a more challenging position. The coming weeks will provide a clearer picture of how both films perform beyond their opening weekends.
