Horror owned the pre-Halloween box office this weekend, as Jessica Chastain’s “Other Mommy” opened to an estimated $26–28 million domestically — more than double its nearest rival, according to reports.
The Blumhouse/Universal release benefited from a robust Thursday night and a healthy Friday, putting it on course for a $27 million-plus opening weekend. Horror films remain largely critic-proof, and audiences appear to be getting back into the habit of turning out for the genre as Halloween approaches.
In second place, the Colleen Hoover adaptation “Verity” — starring Anne Hathaway — added an estimated $12–13 million in its second weekend, a drop of just over 60% that analysts described as a normal path for the genre. The fall season is shaping up as a showcase for established Oscar-winning actresses carrying box-office draws.
Behind them, the “Resident Evil” reboot and Aaron Sorkin’s “The Social Reckoning” were running neck and neck at roughly $7–7.5 million each, with “Heart of the Beast” close behind at about $6.4 million. “Primetime” and “Forgotten Island” rounded out the frame, while Tom Cruise’s “Digger” continued to struggle after its soft debut.
With horror stacked through October and more seasonal releases on the way, the month is expected to belong to the genre — good news for exhibitors after a volatile summer.
