‘Solo’ flying on fumes in 2nd week

Star Wars film is No. 1 at box office but fell 65%

LOS ANGELES — “Solo: A Star Wars Story” is quickly losing momentum at the box office. After an underwhelming launch, the space saga fell 65 percent in weekend two with $29.3 million from North American theaters, according to studio estimates on Sunday.

“Solo” has now earned $148.9 million domestically, still shy of “Rogue One’s” December 2016 opening weekend of $155.1 million and over $135 million short of where “Rogue One” was in its second weekend.

The 65 percent drop off is one of the highest in recent “Star Wars” history, although it is less steep than the second week fall of the franchise’s last film, “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” which slid 67.5 percent in weekend two in December — but, after a $220million debut.

Internationally, “Solo” added $30.3 million, and globally it netted $264.2 million.

Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for comScore, thinks that the media attention given to “Solo’s” lessthan-impressive opening weekend numbers could have negatively affected its second weekend earnings.

He noted that in comScore’s audience survey, most of the over 1,000 people polled “really liked” the movie.

“Solo’s” tumble brought it closer to “Deadpool 2,” now in its third weekend and which still reeled in an estimated $23.3 million to take second place. With a domestic total of $254.7 million, “Deadpool 2” is only about $30million behind where the first film was in its third weekend.

Shailene Woodley’s lost-atsea drama “Adrift” fared the best of the three newcomers, which included the horror pic “Upgrade” and a Johnny Knoxville comedy “Action Point.” ”Adrift,” from STX Entertainment, was third with $11.5 million.

“Upgrade” was in sixth place with $4.5 million, behind both “Avengers: Infinity War” ($10.4million) and “Book Club” ($6.8 million), and “Action Point,” which was not screened for critics, was in ninth place with $2.3 million.

Magnolia Pictures’ Ruth Bader Ginsburg documentary “RBG” became its highest grossing film with $7.9 million, and Pantelion Films scored a similar feat with “Overboard,” now up to $45.5 million.

June kicks into gear with some big movies on the horizon, including “Ocean’s 8,” “Incredibles 2” and “Jurassic World.”