Star Wars Han Solo Movie Is Expected To Break A Box Office Record

The new Star Wars movie, Solo: A Star Wars Story, is not expected to make as much money during its opening weekend as entries in the mainline series, but it's still predicted to break a record. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the standalone film is on track to make more than $160 million domestically over the four-day Memorial Day weekend when it opens. That would put it past the current Memorial Day weekend record-holder, Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End, which made $139.8 million in the US and Canada for its opening back in 2007.

Tickets for Solo go on sale Friday morning, timed with the Star Wars Day fan holiday on May 4. Estimates may get updated after that, based on how well ticket pre-sales are tracking.

The first Star Wars spinoff, 2016's Rogue One, made $155.1 million during its opening weekend back in December 2016. That counts three days instead of Solo's four due to the holiday. And again, all of these figures are for the domestic box office only. Box office predictions for international markets do not appear to be available as of yet.

Solo, which is directed by Oscar winner Ron Howard, opens on May 25 in the US. It stars young versions of Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich) and Lando Calrissian (Donald Glover). Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, and Paul Bettany also star in the sci-fi action-adventure film.

Ehrenreich recently revealed--potentially by accident--that his Star Wars contract covers three appearances as Han, so we could be seeing more of the actor in the iconic role. For a closer look at Solo, check out a tour of the Millennium Falcon with Glover in the video embed above.