Other Mommy eyes $20M No. 1 debut as early reviews sour
Jessica Chastain's horror film Other Mommy opens Friday and is on track for a No. 1 weekend of about $20 million, trade outlets report. Early reviews have been rough, and Variety's critic says it "misfires in every direction." The film cost less than $20 million, so Universal could still do well even if critics stay cold.
Jessica Chastain's new horror film, Other Mommy, opens in theaters Friday, and it is expected to win the weekend. Deadline projects a debut of around $20 million from 3,200 theaters in North America. Variety puts it at $20 million or more, and Gold Derby gives a range of $17 million to $22 million.
That would be a solid start for a cheap movie. Variety and Gold Derby say it cost $18 million to make, while Deadline puts the net budget at $19 million. Showtimes began at 2 p.m. Thursday, Deadline reported.
Chastain plays a mother and her sinister double, who goes after her 8-year-old daughter. Rob Savage directed the film, which is based on Josh Malerman's novel Incidents Around the House. James Wan produced it through Blumhouse's Atomic Monster, and Universal is releasing it.
The reviews are a different story. Universal held the film back from most critics until the last minute, Gold Derby reported. The first reactions, gathered by The Hollywood Reporter, were mostly harsh. The Jam Report gave it 1.5 out of 5 and said its audience broke into laughter by the end. Goldwin Reviews was a rare fan, giving it 4 out of 5 and calling it "a buffet of all the other horror movies rolled into one."
Variety's own review was blunt. It called the film "among the most limp and ineffectual works to grace the screen this year" and said its jump scares "grow quickly stale." Savage had said the film has around 50 jump scares, about one every two minutes, The Hollywood Reporter noted.
The film may not need critics. Universal placed its trailer before The Odyssey in July, and Deadline said the online trailer drew 242 million views. Horror also tends to do well in the weeks before Halloween. Chastain's earlier horror films, Mama and It Chapter Two, opened to $28.4 million and $91 million.
The main rival is Sony's The Social Reckoning, Aaron Sorkin's follow-up to The Social Network. Variety and Gold Derby expect it to open with $7 million to $8 million.
What we know: Other Mommy is the favorite to finish No. 1 this weekend.
What we don't: How much the poor early reviews will hurt ticket sales after Friday.
Where outlets agree Deadline, Variety and Gold Derby all project Other Mommy to open at No. 1 this weekend with around $20 million.
Where they differ Variety and Gold Derby say the film cost $18 million to make, while Deadline puts its net budget at $19 million.