Jessica Chastain’s horror film Other Mommy has swept to number one in most of the world’s major cinema markets, topping the charts in the United States, Britain and Ireland, Spain, Italy, Mexico, Brazil and the UAE in a debut weekend that underlines horror’s remarkable run at the global box office.
The Universal and Blumhouse-Atomic Monster release took about $27.5 million from 3,365 North American theatres last weekend, comfortably above the $20 million opening the studio had projected, according to industry tracking reported by outlets including Box Office Pro and The Wrap. With another $17.7 million from 50 international markets, the film’s worldwide start stands at roughly $45.2 million — a strong result for a film produced for a reported $19 million, before a run of major territories including France, Germany, Korea and Japan have even opened.
A UAE chart-topper despite a market slump
The film’s international chart run includes a number-one opening in the UAE, where it took AED 2.4 million ($665,018) over October 8 to 11 and accounted for about a quarter of the entire top ten, according to News89’s UAE chart round-up. The Hindi sequel Drishyam: The Conclusion held second place with AED 1.8 million, while the romantic thriller Verity, which Other Mommy displaced as North America’s top film, took third in the UAE with AED 1.6 million.
The UAE’s overall top ten grossed AED 9.1 million, down 30.1 per cent on the previous weekend — making Other Mommy’s opening one of the few bright spots in a softer market. Back in North America, it comfortably beat Amazon MGM’s Verity, which fell roughly 62.5 per cent to about $11.5 million, and Aaron Sorkin’s The Social Reckoning, which managed just $5.5 million and fifth place.
Audiences ignore the critics — and the reviews were brutal
What makes the result striking is the critical reception. Other Mommy holds roughly 18 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes and earned a D+ CinemaScore, the lowest audience grade for a wide release in about two years, according to box office trackers. Yet it still led the chart on the Columbus Day holiday with $2.9 million, taking the four-day total to $30.7 million.
Trade analysts point to the horror genre’s exceptional 2026 streak and Blumhouse’s famously disciplined budgets, which leave the film little room to lose. With a production price tag around $19 million, the film has already earned back most of its cost before Halloween competition arrives. In a year when cultural moments from Nobel celebrations to claymation anniversaries have filled entertainment headlines, the simplest premise — a sinister entity haunting a young girl — proved the most bankable of all.
News89’s full UAE box office chart for October 8-11 is available here.
