Nicolai Haugsted
Not even Tom Cruise or Aaron Sorkin are worthy opponents during Halloween month.
Hollywood has once again been reminded that bad reviews do not necessarily mean empty cinemas.
Several major film productions this autumn are struggling with disappointing ticket sales, despite featuring prominent actors and acclaimed filmmakers.
But while the industry debates why some of the most talked-about premiere films are failing to attract audiences, a new horror film has delivered a rather sensational result.
The film received such harsh criticism from reviewers that one might expect audiences to stay far away.
On the contrary, Jessica Chastain’s new horror film Other Mommy has firmly taken the lead in U.S. box office sales.
Only 18 Percent Positive Reviews
Other Mommy is projected to gross approximately $27.5 million in its U.S. opening weekend, according to CinemaBlend.
This equates to about 177 million Danish kroner and is reportedly more than the film’s total production budget.
The result is remarkable because the horror film has far from impressed critics.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has only achieved 18 percent positive reviews, according to the outlet, while initial audience ratings also do not paint a particularly flattering picture.
Nevertheless, the film has sold more than three times as many tickets by revenue as the weekend’s second-highest-grossing title.
The explanation could very well be quite simple.
October is peak season for horror films, and the Blumhouse production has reached an audience that is seemingly more interested in being scared than in reading reviews.
At the same time, competition from other new horror films has been relatively limited.
Tom Cruise and Aaron Sorkin Face Challenges
The contrast to two other current films is hard to overlook.
Tom Cruise’s Digger has received strongly divided reviews and, according to CinemaBlend, is struggling to meet financial expectations.
The film reportedly cost more than $100 million to produce, making disappointing ticket sales particularly problematic.
However, the production has also garnered enthusiastic proponents, with some critics hailing it as one of the year’s best films.
This could potentially give the film a longer lifespan, especially if it gains attention during the upcoming awards season.
The situation looks different for Aaron Sorkin’s The Social Reckoning.
The film, which revisits the story of Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg, has, according to preliminary estimates, only grossed about $5.5 million over the weekend.
Reviews have been mixed to negative, and CinemaBlend assesses that the film lacks the enthusiastic backing that could, despite everything, help Digger move forward.
Thus, Sorkin’s new film may struggle to repeat the cultural impact of The Social Network.
Resident Evil Continues to Impress
Other films, however, are performing significantly better.
The new Resident Evil, directed by Zach Cregger, has, according to CinemaBlend, maintained strong ticket sales and appears poised to surpass $150 million in the U.S. market alone.
Cregger previously directed the horror films Barbarian and Weapons, and this success underscores his growing position in Hollywood.
The film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel Verity has also proven to have commercial appeal.
After approximately ten days, the film has grossed more than $50 million, even though ticket sales dropped by about 60 percent from its opening weekend to the following weekend.
This result adds to the success of It Ends with Us and shows that Hoover’s stories continue to attract a large cinema audience.
Brad Pitt’s Heart of the Beast has also held its own on the charts.
The film’s ticket sales only fell by about a third compared to the previous weekend, suggesting it may remain among the most-watched films for a while longer.
