LOS ANGELES • The latest Star Wars spin-off movie does not appear to be a force at the box office.

Walt Disney has slashed its opening-weekend forecast for Solo: A Star Wars Story as early returns from theatres signalled a deeply disappointing opening.

Sales at American and Canadian theatres are likely to hit US$105 million (S$141 million) to US$115 million through the four-day Memorial Day weekend, Disney said.

That is a sharp cut from prior estimates of up to US$150 million.

Early international sales, a crucial revenue source for Hollywood's biggest productions, also look slow. Solo did open in first place in many territories, but the estimated Thursday-Friday tally last week came up to just US$11.4 million from 43 markets, Disney said.

In China, it looked set to earn only US$10 million over the weekend, according to Hollywood Reporter.

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