Other Mommy Review: Is Jessica Chastain’s New Horror Film Worth the Hype?

Note: This is an early Other Mommy review, written before the film’s October 9 release. It’s based on the trailers, the official story, and what the filmmakers have shared. We’ll update it after opening weekend.

Every kid has stared at a closet door in the dark and wondered what’s inside. Other Mommy takes that fear and makes it worse. What steps out of the closet looks exactly like Mom.

So is this Jessica Chastain horror film worth your ticket? Here’s our early review, starting with the story.

Other Mommy Story: What’s the Movie About?

Bela is eight years old. Her parents’ marriage is falling apart, and the tension fills the house. Then something starts coming out of her bedroom closet at night.

The creature looks like her mother. It doesn’t act like her. Bela calls it “Other Mommy.” What feels like a strange new friendship slowly turns into a threat to the whole family.

The film adapts Josh Malerman’s 2024 novel Incidents Around the House. Malerman also wrote Bird Box, so the source has real horror credentials.

Jessica Chastain’s Role: Mother and Monster

The big hook is Chastain’s double role. She plays Ursula, a mother who loves her daughter. She also plays the entity wearing her face.

That’s a smart idea for horror. The scariest monster is the one you trust. Here, Bela should feel safest around her mother, and the creature borrows exactly that face.

Producer James Wan calls Chastain the film’s secret weapon. He says the fun is guessing which version of her is on screen. Director Rob Savage says she performs most of the unnatural body movement herself, about nine times out of ten. That points to a performance built on physical unease, not just makeup.

Arabella Olivia Clark plays Bela in her first major role. Jay Duplass plays her father. The cast also includes Dichen Lachman, Karen Allen, and Arian Moayed.

Why This Horror Movie Looks Exciting

Several things make this one feel worth watching.

• Rob Savage is a good fit. His breakout, Host, played out over a single Zoom call. He also directed The Boogeyman. He knows how to scare people with small spaces.
• The story stays personal. The entity targets Bela directly. It whispers to her and picks at her family’s cracks. That can make fear feel personal, not random.
• The family notices too. According to the filmmakers, the rest of the family realizes something is wrong. So the film may skip the tired setup where only the kid sees the monster.
• It has real scares. Savage says the film has about 50 jump scares. He also promises distorted movement and a house that no longer feels safe.
• The buzz is huge. The official trailer has passed 12 million views.

The R rating is another good sign. The MPA gave it that rating for some bloody violence and language. Many Blumhouse and Atomic Monster films stay at PG-13, so this suggests the film is willing to go darker. The runtime is a tight 93 minutes.

Where Other Mommy Could Fall Short

An honest review has to ask what might go wrong.

First, the comparison to Mama is hard to ignore. That 2013 Chastain film also had children haunted by a mysterious maternal figure. Other Mommy needs a fresh angle to avoid feeling familiar.

Second, 50 jump scares is a lot. Some fans love that. Others want slow dread and a creepy atmosphere. A shocking face can only surprise you so many times.

Neither point is a flaw yet. They’re the things we’ll watch for once the film is out.

Early Verdict: Should You Be Excited?

Based on everything we know, yes. Other Mommy looks like a strong pick for horror fans. The concept is simple and creepy. The lead actress has a real gift for genre roles. The director has a clear track record with home-based scares.

Excitement level: 4/5 (an early score based on the trailers and official details, not the finished film).

If you love family-in-peril horror, plan a theater trip. The film looks built for a loud Halloween-season crowd. If you hate jump scares or find child-in-danger stories upsetting, it may not be for you.

Watch the Trailer

Quick Facts

• Title: Other Mommy
• Director: Rob Savage
• Writer: Nathan Elston, based on Josh Malerman’s novel Incidents Around the House
• Producer: James Wan
• Studios: Universal Pictures, Blumhouse, Atomic Monster
• Genre: Supernatural Horror
• Runtime: 93 minutes
• Rated: R (some bloody violence and language)
• Starring: Jessica Chastain, Jay Duplass, Arabella Olivia Clark, Dichen Lachman, Karen Allen, Arian Moayed
• Release date: October 9, 2026 (US theaters)
• Originally scheduled: May 8, 2026

Where to Watch

Other Mommy opens in theaters nationwide on October 9, 2026. It will be exclusive to theaters at launch.

Are you excited for “Other Mommy”? Tell us what you think in the comments below.