Other Mommy takes $3.6m in previews to lead weekend box office race
Jessica Chastain's horror film Other Mommy earned $3.6 million in Thursday previews in North America, putting it on course for No. 1 at the weekend box office. Universal Pictures projects a $20 million opening weekend for the film, according to studio figures reported by The Hollywood Reporter. That start gives it a clear early lead over Sony Pictures' The Social Reckoning.
Other Mommy is playing in 3,200 theatres in the United States and Canada, the market the industry calls domestic. It was directed by Rob Savage and stars Chastain, an Academy Award winner, in a dual role as Bela's mother and as Other Mommy, according to Universal Pictures. The film opened in cinemas on 9 October 2026. It carries a $19 million production budget, the cost of making the film before marketing, Universal said via the Reporter.
The Social Reckoning took $650,000 in Thursday previews in North America. Sony expects around $7 million for its opening weekend from 2,600 North American theatres, the studio said via the Reporter. The film was directed by Aaron Sorkin and stars Mikey Madison and Jeremy Allen White. It is a follow-up to 2010's The Social Network. Its production budget is $30 million.
Earlier forecasts pointed to a similar order of finish. Other Mommy was tracking for a $17 million to $22 million opening and was expected to open at No. 1, according to GoldDerby on 8 October. BoxOfficePro forecast an opening-weekend range of $6 million to $10 million for The Social Reckoning in a preview published on 7 October.
Thursday previews are late shows on the night before opening day. Studios use them as an early read on demand. A strong preview number does not set the weekend total, but it shapes expectations for Friday.
What makes this stand out is the maths. A $20 million start would cover Other Mommy's production budget in its first three days in theatres. Horror crowds turn out early. For The Social Reckoning, a $7 million start would leave more ground to make up against its higher budget.
Weekend figures released on Sunday are studio estimates. They are confirmed in Monday actuals, once ticket counts are final.
