‘Other Mommy’ tops box office with $27.5M; ‘The Social Reckoning’ opens to $5.5M

Jessica Chastain’s horror film “Other Mommy” led the North American box office with $27.5 million, surpassing expectations despite poor reviews. The film, about a supernatural creature posing as a young girl’s mother, was produced by Blumhouse Atomic Monster and had a $19 million budget. It also earned $45.2 million globally. Universal’s Jim Orr highlighted the film’s broad audience appeal, with a balanced gender split and a majority aged 18 to 34. In contrast, “The Social Reckoning,” directed by Aaron Sorkin, debuted with a disappointing $5.5 million. The film, about a Facebook whistleblower, received mixed reviews and a B- CinemaScore. It cost around $30 million to produce. October is a risky month for studios, and “The Social Reckoning” struggled against holdovers like “Verity” and “Resident Evil.” QUESTION: Why do you think horror films often succeed at the box office despite receiving poor reviews?