Is Other Mommy a True Story? Origins of the Film
Other Mommy is entirely fictional, though its premise stems from a real bedtime remark made to author Josh Malerman's brother. The narrative grew from that unsettling goodnight exchange into a published horror novel and its 2026 feature film adaptation.
The short answer
Other Mommy is a work of supernatural fiction rather than an account of real events, officially adapting Josh Malerman’s 2024 novel as confirmed by NBCUniversal. The core premise originated from a real bedtime remark shared by the author’s brother, according to an interview published by The Nerd Daily.
[!NOTE] Spoiler Status: This production background guide covers setup details and real-world origins only, avoiding third-act plot points and ending twists.
Del Rey published Josh Malerman’s 384-page source novel Incidents Around the House on June 25, 2024, as recorded by Publishers Weekly. Blumhouse and Atomic Monster produced the feature adaptation directed by Rob Savage, with Universal Pictures handling theatrical distribution as documented by NBCUniversal.
The real goodnight that started it
Author Josh Malerman held onto the core concept for about 13 years after a conversation with his brother, as told to The Nerd Daily. His brother described putting their child to bed and hearing the child say goodnight to Other Mommy The Nerd Daily. That bedtime exchange is similar to the novel’s first chapter, as Malerman told The Nerd Daily. Eight-year-old Bela lives in fictional Chaps, Michigan (Kirkus Reviews).
Director Rob Savage stated in an interview with SciFiNow that he knew he would make the film “from four pages in” because of that goodnight scene. The film portrays Bela as a seven-year-old and opens with an epigraph stating that humans have one thing demons covet: being alive, as recorded by Wikipedia.
From novel to film: timeline
Production milestones document the development of the project from the novel to the screen.
| Date / Window | Milestone | Status | Details & Primary Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 25, 2024 | Novel Publication | Confirmed | Del Rey publishes Josh Malerman’s 384-page novel Incidents Around the House (Publishers Weekly; Kirkus Reviews). |
| May 12 – July 9, 2025 | Principal Photography | Confirmed | Filming takes place in Dublin, Ireland, under the reported working title “Grandma’s House” (Wikipedia). |
| July 2025 | Project Retitled | Reported | The production officially changes its working title to Other Mommy (Wikipedia). |
| Promotional Campaign | Trailer Premiere | Confirmed | Blumhouse uploads the official trailer to YouTube. |
| May 8, 2026 | Original Theatrical Date | Confirmed | Universal Pictures initially scheduled theatrical release for May 8, 2026 (Wikipedia). |
| October 9, 2026 | US Theatrical Release | Confirmed | Universal Pictures releases the film in theaters (NBCUniversal; Universal Pictures Canada). Studio projections estimated an opening in 3,200 theaters (The Hollywood Reporter). |
Production milestones remain documented by primary trade coverage and studio notices. Verified status reflects records available as of October 11, 2026.
Is Other Mommy connected to Mama (2013)?
Mama (2013) is a separate film directed by Andy Muschietti and rated PG-13, as cataloged by Common Sense Media. Jessica Chastain starring in both films represents the only link between the two projects Common Sense Media. Studio documentation from NBCUniversal confirms that Other Mommy adapts Josh Malerman’s 2024 novel, with zero studio statements connecting the films.
Is it connected to Coraline?
Kirkus Reviews called the source novel “Screwy but scarrry!” and placed it alongside Coraline. Common Sense Media described the film as gruesome horror told from seven-year-old Bela’s point of view and compared it to a live-action Coraline. Universal Pictures records confirm the film adapts Josh Malerman’s novel rather than Neil Gaiman’s work NBCUniversal.
What the author and director have said
Director Rob Savage described the adaptation as an “anti-haunted house” story in an interview with Phantasmag. Savage confirmed asking producers “We’re not going to water this down, are we?” during development and receiving the answer “Absolutely not”, as reported by SciFiNow. The director credited screenwriter Nathan Elston with distilling the episodic book into a ~90-minute film and noted that “we go over the edge” for fans of the novel SciFiNow.
Savage described the entity as an insinuating, gaslighting figure with intentional ambiguity so viewers continue to consider what Other Mommy represents SciFiNow. Jessica Chastain portrayed Other Mommy with a rictus-like tension of holding a perfect facade to metaphorically mirror Ursula SciFiNow. Visual references included Robert Zemeckis’s What Lies Beneath for a colorful, non-desaturated aesthetic SciFiNow. Lead actress Arabella Olivia Clark, eight years old leading her first feature, read the source novel before her second audition, according to SciFiNow.
FAQ
Is Other Mommy based on a true story?
Other Mommy is a fictional story. The premise was inspired by a real comment made by author Josh Malerman's brother's child during bedtime.
Which book is Other Mommy based on?
The film adapts Josh Malerman's 2024 horror novel Incidents Around the House, published by Del Rey.
Is Other Mommy a sequel to Mama?
Mama is a separate film directed by Andy Muschietti, with Jessica Chastain starring in both films as the only link.
Is Other Mommy related to Coraline?
The movie adapts Josh Malerman's novel rather than Coraline. Reviews from Kirkus Reviews and Common Sense Media compare the source novel and film to Coraline.
Sources
- Universal Pictures' 'Other Mommy' Releases October 9 — NBCUniversal Media, 2026-09-30 (accessed 2026-10-10)
- Q&A: Josh Malerman, Author of 'Incidents Around The House' — The Nerd Daily, 2024-06 (accessed 2026-10-11)
- Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman (review) — Publishers Weekly, 2024-03-08 (accessed 2026-10-11)
- INCIDENTS AROUND THE HOUSE (review) — Kirkus Reviews, 2024-05-04 (accessed 2026-10-11)
- Rob Savage on Other Mummy (interview) — SciFiNow, 2026-10-07 (accessed 2026-10-11)
- Other Mommy — Wikipedia (accessed 2026-10-10)
- Other Mommy | Official Trailer — Blumhouse (YouTube) (accessed 2026-10-10)
- OTHER MOMMY (synopsis, cast, credits) — Universal Pictures Canada (accessed 2026-10-10)
- 'Other Mommy' Grabs $3.6M in Previews — The Hollywood Reporter, 2026-10-09 (accessed 2026-10-11)
- Movie reviews (MPA ratings for comparison titles) — Common Sense Media (accessed 2026-10-11)
- Other Mommy – Parents' Guide & Movie Review — Common Sense Media (accessed 2026-10-11)
- 'Other Mommy' Director Rob Savage on Making an "Anti-Haunted House Movie" — Phantasmag (accessed 2026-10-11)