Who could have guessed that the opening weekend box office forSolowould turn out… so low? (I’ll see myself out.) Disney and Lucasfilm’sStar Warsprequel is struggling at the Memorial Day weekend box office, coming in significantly behind expectations with an estimated three-day tally of $83.3 million and a projected four-day debut of $101 million. That’s way down from early tracking, which suggested the film would soar to a $130-150 million holiday weekend, and worse still than the subsequent early-weekend forecasts, which predicted a four-day sum around $114 million.
Directed byRon Howard,SolointroducesAlden Ehrenreichas the young, pre-Star WarsHan Solo, alongsideDonald Gloveras young Lando Calrissian, andJoonas Suotamoas young Chewbacca.Emilia Clarke,Woody Harrelson,Thandie Newton, andPhoebe Waller-Bridgealso star. After arecord-breaking Thursday night that suggestedSolocould take the title of Best Memorial Day weekend opening, the film took a 30 percent dive between Friday and Saturday. It looks likePirates of the Caribbean: At World’s Endwill continue as reigning Memorial Day champ with the $139.8 million it earned in 2007.
Solois the second standaloneStar Wars StoryafterRogue One, which earned a three-day haul of $155 million in December 2016. However, whereRogue Oneintroduced a new batch of characters into the Star Wars lore, Solo sees the return of aged-down versions of the franchise’s iconic fan-favorites – an idea that was met with mixed enthusiasm from the get go.Rogue Onealso didn’t face the same level of competition (Deadpool 2arrived in theaters last week andAvengers: Infinity War seems all but unstoppable at this point). Additionally,Soloarrives just five months afterThe Last Jedi, compared to the full year betweenRogue OneandThe Force Awakens.
Last week’s big debut,Deadpool 2, looks to easily take the No. 2 spot with an estimated $42 million three-day total and a four-day total around $54 million. Through Monday, that puts Deadpool 2 on track for a two-week domestic total above $218 million. The superhero sequel sees the return ofRyan Reynoldsas the title hero, alongside newcomersJosh Brolin,Zazie Beets, andJulian Dennison.
The week’s other superhero holdover,Avengers: Infinity War, is holding strong in No. 3 in its fifth week. The star-studded Marvel “event film” is on track for for a three-day total of $17 million and a four-day total of $22 million. If the numbers hold,Infinity Warlooks to top an estimated domestic total of $627 million.
Paramount’s female-led comedyBook Clublooks to take the No. 4 spot with an estimated $9.6 million for a strong second weekend, with a four-day tally around $12.3 million. That would putBook Club’s domestic haul at $34.5 million
TheMelissa McCarthycomedyLife of the Partyis on track to round out the top five with an estimated $5 million in its third weekend, whileGabrielle Union’s Mother’s Day thrillerBreaking Inis set to follow in No. 6 with an estimated $4 million.
Finishing out the top ten are the children’s movieShow Dogsat No. 7 with just over $3 million, the comedy remakeOverboard, starringAnna Farrisand international starEugenio Derbez, at No. 8 another $3 million, the enduring horror hitA Quiet Placeat No. 9 with another $2.2 million (bringing it’s impressive domestic total to $179.9 million), and finally, theRuth Bader GinsburgdocumentaryRBGat No. 10 with $1.1 million.
Weekend Estimates below (viaBox Office Mojo).
$83,325,000
Deadpool 2
$42,700,000
$207,407,352
Avengers: Infinity War
$16,494,000
$621,688,638
$9,450,000
$31,834,516
Life of the Party
$5,115,000
$39,102,348
Breaking In
$4,055,000
$35,643,385
$3,078,235
$10,672,960
$3,000,000
$41,494,413
A Quiet Place
$2,230,000
$179,993,607
$1,120,000
$5,636,638
