Weekend Box Office Report: May 25-27, 2018

Solo flies into first!

Audiences got a glimpse at the early days of everyone's favorite galactic smuggler this weekend, putting SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY on top at the box office with an estimated opening of $83.3 million!

The historical look at the skilled pilot and scoundrel (with Alden Ehrenreich now wielding Harrison Ford's blaster) should pull in around $101 million domestic over the four-day Memorial Day period, which is substantially lower than previous expectations of at least a $150 million launch. (PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD’S END still holds the holiday weekend's record with $139 million.)

The PG-13 tale of Han Solo's past exploits, directed by Ron Howard (replacing original directing duo Christopher Miller and Phil Lord), also plundered an additional $65 million from international crowds for a fairly modest $148.3 million worldwide opening. The Western-inspired installment reportedly cost a minimum of $250 million, although the actual figure is likely higher due to hustling the troubled production to theaters for its release date.

There will undoubtedly be endless speculation as to why this latest STAR WARS entry underperformed (and in the same week that the Boba Fett standalone movie landed a director) — whether it's general prequel fatigue, reaction to the behind-the-scenes turbulence, fallout from the divisive response to THE LAST JEDI, a summer release after successful December openings, fan reluctance to accept anyone but Ford in the role, or just overall STAR WARS saturation.

Whatever the reasons, the newest chapter in creator George Lucas' galaxy far, far away paled in comparison to openings for STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS ($247 million), STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI ($220 million) and fellow anthology film ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY ($155 million).

Critics were mostly willing to board the Millennium Falcon on its journey down memory lane, giving it a 71% average on Rotten Tomatoes. You can head over to the JoBlo review HERE.

R-rated sequel DEADPOOL 2 was gunned down to second place with $42.7 million, damaged by 66% from its opening on top last weekend. (The first DEADPOOL lost 57% on its second weekend.)

The return of Ryan Reynolds' irrepressible maniac has a ten-day domestic total of $207.4 million, and a worldwide total of $487.1 million. The mouthy mercenary's second homicidal adventure cost a reported $110 million.

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR was in third with $16.4 million for a domestic total of $621.6 million (now within a gauntlet's reach of the $623 million finish of THE AVENGERS). Marvel's A-list superhero gathering has accumulated $1.9 billion worldwide on its fifth weekend in release.

In fourth place was the PG-13 elder comedy BOOK CLUB with $9.4 million, sagging by only 30% from last week's opening. The $10 million romcom with Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Mary Steenburgen and Candice Bergen has a ten-day domestic total of $31.8 million.

Melissa McCarthy's college comedy LIFE OF THE PARTY was in fifth place with $5.1 million, taking the $30 million movie to a domestic total of $39.1 million on its third weekend.

The PG-13 Gabrielle Union thriller BREAKING IN was in sixth place with $4 million, collecting a $35.6 million domestic total on a reported cost of just $6 million. Talking hounds followed in seventh with a $3 million weekend for SHOW DOGS, chomped by 49% from its opening last week for a ten-day domestic total of $10.6 million.

Towards the bottom of the list was the Anna Faris/Eugenio Derbez comedy remake OVERBOARD, along with the John Krasinski/Emily Blunt horror-thriller A QUIET PLACE and (for a third week) the Ruth Bader Ginsburg biopic RBG.

Outside the chart, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's RAMPAGE finally stomped out of sight with $412 million worldwide.

Next weekend has Logan Marshall-Green getting a horrific biotech UPGRADE, Johnny Knoxville spends time at the most dangerous theme park in ACTION POINT, and Shailene Woodley and Sam Claflin find themselves ADRIFT.

Which June release are you most interested in seeing? VOTE HERE!