Tracking projections place Disney Solo: A Star Wars Story in the $170 million range for its four-day opening over Memorial Day weekend.
The first tracking estimates for the “Star Wars” origins story were released Thursday in the $165 million to $175 million range. Tracking measures were all elevated with unaided awareness at 28%, total awareness at 90%, definite interest at 55% and first choice at 13%.
The tentpole stars Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo, Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian along with Emilia Clarke, Woody Harrelson, Thandie Newton, Paul Bettany and Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
“Solo” follows on a young Han Solo and his early adventures with Wookiee companion Chewbacca, including their encounter with Lando Calrissian.
Ron Howard directed “Solo: A Star Wars Story” from a screenplay by Jonathan and Lawrence Kasdan. “Solo” is the second spinoff “Star Wars” movie after 2016’s “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” Howard replaced the team of Phil Lord and Chris Miller a year ago.
The Memorial Day weekend record-holder is Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End,” which debuted domestically in 2007 with $139.8 million.
Disney “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” opened in December and grossed $620 million domestically, the seventh-highest total of all time, and totaled $1.3 billion worldwide.