'Solo: A Star Wars Story' Tops $14 Million at Thursday Box Office

Disney and Lucasfilm's Solo: A Star Wars Story debuted to a solid opening night at the box office on Thursday, hauling in more than $14 million in its preview showing.

According to Variety, the newest Star Wars standalone film, which focuses on the backstory of iconic character Han Solo, earned $14.1 million at the Thursday night box office. Solo is currently on pace to make between $130 million and $150 million over the entire Memorial Day weekend.

It looks as though Solo: A Star Wars Story will continue the dominant performances from Star Wars films over the last few years. Rogue One, the first standalone movie in the Star Wars franchise, debuted to $155 million back in December 2016. Star Wars: The Last Jedi opened much higher in 2017, earning $220 million in its first outing.

If Solo can hit the higher side of its projections, it will likely break the Memorial Day box office record. Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides set the record back in 2007 with $139.8 million over the four day weekend.

One factor that could keep Solo: A Star Wars Story from breaking that record is the box office juggernaut that is Deadpool 2. After making $125 million in its first outing at the domestic box office last weekend, the Deadpool sequel has risen to a stateside total of $158 over its first six days. Entering its second weekend, the film is projected to make between $50 million and $60 million, likely cutting into the potential earnings of Solo. During its preview night last Thursday, Deadpool 2 hauled in nearly $19 million.

Entering its fifth weekend, Avengers: Infinity War is still making waves at the box office, with a projected total of around $20 million.

Do you think Solo: A Star Wars Story will top Pirates of the Caribbean's total at the box office? Could it keep up with the success of the other Star Wars films? Let us know your predictions in the comments section below!

Directed by Ron Howard, and starring Alden Ehrenreich, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, and Woody Harrelson, Solo: A Star Wars Story is now playing in theaters everywhere.