Chastain's Horror Defies Bad Reviews to Top Box Office, Sorkin's Drama Flops

Key points

• 'Other Mommy' earned $27.5 million domestically and $45.2 million globally in its opening weekend.
• The film received a D+ CinemaScore but succeeded due to a low $19 million budget and broad demographic appeal.
• 'The Social Reckoning' opened to $5.5 million, significantly underperforming its predecessor 'The Social Network.'
• Critics and audiences gave 'The Social Reckoning' mixed-to-negative reviews, with a B- CinemaScore.
• The annual domestic box office crossed the $8 billion mark, up 19% from last year but 8% behind 2019.

Background

Recent archive coverage highlights the contrast between the two films, noting that 'Other Mommy' benefited from Halloween timing and low production costs, while 'The Social Reckoning' suffered from high costs and a lack of original director David Fincher or star Jesse Eisenberg.

How outlets are covering it

AP and ABC News emphasize 'Other Mommy's' strong audience turnout despite poor reviews, noting its even gender split and young demographic. The New York Times criticizes the film as a 'horror schlockfest' but acknowledges its direct approach. Rentrak's Paul Dergarabedian attributes 'The Social Reckoning's' failure to its topical nature not resonating with audiences, comparing it to the decline of 'Digger.'

Why it matters

The weekend results highlight the unpredictability of box office performance, with a low-budget horror film outperforming a high-budget drama despite negative critical reception, reflecting current audience preferences and market trends.

What to watch

Final domestic box office figures will be released Monday, and 'The Social Reckoning' may see a significant drop in its second weekend, similar to 'Digger.'