LOS ANGELES (REUTERS/VARIETY.COM) - Estimates for Solo: A Star Wars Story are continuing to fly low.
Disney and Lucasfilm's Star Wars prequel is now looking to make US$101 million (S$135 million) in North America during its four-day holiday weekend debut. The Han Solo origin film's three-day estimate currently hovers around US$83 million.
Tracking earlier this week suggested Solo would lift off with US$130 million to US$150 million. The film, directed by Ron Howard, follows Alden Ehrenreich as a young Han Solo, who befriends his future co-pilot and Wookie companion Chewbacca, and meets the notorious gambler Lando Calrissian (Donald Glover). Emilia Clarke, Woody Harrelson, Thandie Newton, Paul Bettany, Joonas Suotamo, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge round out the cast.
Early estimates predicted Solo could secure the best Memorial Day weekend opening, but it looks like Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End will continue to hold the crown with its US$139.8 million in 2007.
Solo, the second standalone Star Wars anthology film, has fallen far behind 2016's Rogue One, which landed a three-day weekend opening of US$155 million. The most recent installment in the franchise - Star Wars: The Last Jedi - opened less than six months ago. The second film in Star Wars'sequel trilogy debuted with US$220 million domestically.
With Solo as the only new release of the weekend, the rest of the North American box office will be bolstered by a number of holdovers.
Deadpool 2 should easily score the second slot, heading for a US$42 million three-day sophomore frame and a four-day total of around US$54 million. As of Friday, the superhero sequel starring Ryan Reynolds has earned US$176.8 million.
The fifth weekend of "Avengers: Infinity War" looks to land in third. The Marvel blockbuster is looking at a US$16.9 million three-day estimate, along with a four-day number of US$22.1 million.
In fourth should be Paramount's Book Club. The romantic comedy is aiming for US$9.6 million in its second weekend. If its four-day cume reaches US$12.3 million, that would put Book Club's domestic tally at US$34.5 million. Life of the Partyshould round out the top five with around US$5 million in its third frame.
Solo still boosts the domestic box office 23.1 per cent compared to Memorial Day weekend in 2017, according to comScore. Meanwhile, the year-to-date box office continues its positive trajectory with 7.6 per cent.
"Despite the fact that Solo performed softer than many had projected, a hugely competitive and crowded marketplace gave the industry one of the better performing Memorial holiday weekend totals," said box office analyst Paul Dergarabedian.
