The Creepiest Part of The Odyssey Might Be the Trailer Playing Before It
Moviegoers arriving for Christopher Nolan’s latest epic are being surprised by the first trailer for Other Mommy, a disturbing new horror film starring Jessica Chastain.
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is bringing audiences into theaters for a massive cinematic adventure, but some moviegoers are leaving their screenings talking about something far smaller and much more disturbing.
The first official trailer for Other Mommy, an upcoming supernatural horror film starring Jessica Chastain, is currently playing exclusively in theaters before The Odyssey. The trailer has not received a full online release yet, giving audiences purchasing tickets for Nolan’s film one of the first opportunities to see it.
That surprise appears to be working.
Early reactions have described the trailer as genuinely unsettling, with viewers specifically pointing to imagery involving a ball pit, a figure hiding beneath a table, and a creature moving in an unnatural, spiderlike position. Others have praised the trailer for revealing just enough of its central threat without fully explaining what the creature is or what it wants.
The movie follows eight year old Bela, a young girl who begins receiving visits from a sinister presence she calls “Other Mommy.” As the entity becomes more aggressive, Bela’s parents struggle to understand what is happening inside their home before the presence can take complete control.
The trailer reportedly begins with what appears to be a fairly ordinary interaction between a mother and daughter. Jessica Chastain’s character returns home and calmly speaks with Bela about food before the conversation takes an uncomfortable turn. The woman begins talking about a time when the two of them were supposedly one person, then asks the child for permission to enter her heart. Smoke begins rising from food left burning on the stove as the mother’s behavior becomes increasingly unnatural.
Bela’s father later realizes that the woman inside the house may not have been his actual wife at all. From there, the trailer begins blurring the line between Bela’s real mother and the creature imitating her, creating the possibility that audiences may not always know which version of the character they are watching.
That concept gives Chastain an especially disturbing role. Rather than presenting Other Mommy as a completely separate monster, the film appears to use the familiar appearance of Bela’s mother against her. Something normally associated with safety becomes the source of the child’s fear.
Other Mommy is based on Josh Malerman’s 2024 novel Incidents Around the House. Malerman is best known for writing Bird Box, which was adapted into the popular Netflix horror film starring Sandra Bullock. The new adaptation is being directed by Rob Savage, whose previous projects include the screen based supernatural film Host and the Stephen King adaptation The Boogeyman. Nathan Elston adapted Malerman’s novel for the screen.
The cast also includes Jay Duplass, Dichen Lachman, Sean Kaufman, Adam Silver, Karen Allen, and Arabella Olivia Clark as Bela. James Wan is producing the film through the combined Blumhouse and Atomic Monster operation, placing the project behind some of the biggest names currently working in mainstream horror.
Attaching the trailer to The Odyssey is a smart move by Universal Pictures. Instead of quietly releasing the footage online, the studio is placing it in front of large theatrical audiences and allowing word of mouth to build before everyone can watch it at home. The limited release also makes the trailer feel like a surprise for audiences who may have entered the theater knowing nothing about Other Mommy.
It is a strategy that fits the movie itself. The story is built around an unwanted presence suddenly appearing inside a familiar place, and now its first trailer is unexpectedly appearing before a film that could not be more different.
While The Odyssey promises enormous landscapes, large format photography, and an epic journey across the ancient world, Other Mommy appears to keep its horror trapped inside a family home. The contrast between the two movies may be exactly why the trailer is making such an impression.
Universal has confirmed that Other Mommy will arrive in theaters on October 9, 2026, placing it perfectly within the Halloween season. The trailer is expected to be released online soon, but for now, audiences seeing The Odyssey may find themselves getting an unexpected horror preview before Nolan’s journey even begins.
/ More from FirstDrop
Horror NewsMidsummer Scream Announces Massive 30th Anniversary Celebration for Scream
The world’s largest Halloween and horror convention is partnering with Paramount Scares to bring the original cast, t…
Horror NewsFive Nights at Freddy’s 2 Is Coming to Netflix This August
After its theatrical run and streaming debut on Peacock, Blumhouse’s hit horror sequel is heading to Netflix next month.