'Race to Witch Mountain': Grabs the top spot at box office

'Race to Witch Mountain': Grabs the top spot at box office

Walt Disney's "Race to Witch Mountain" raced to No. 1 at the weekend box office.

(Scroll down to see Hundreds of latest photos: "Race To Witch Mountain" Los Angeles Premiere - Arrivals.)

Bypassing expectations with $25 million in ticket sales., this Dwayne Johnson starrer PG-rated sci-fi flick earned $18.1 million in its second week.

Dwayne Johnson acts as a cab driver with a pair of alien teenagers along for the ride topped the R-rated superhero epic "Watchmen", which

President of Disney's motion-picture group, Mark Zoradi, said, analysts had predicted that "Race to Witch Mountain", director Andy Fickman's re-imagination of the 1975 live-action film "Escape to Witch Mountain", would fly away with $20 million or less. Now he expects this "Witch Mountain" to maintain a high orbit in theaters with kids on spring break.

"I think audiences this weekend were really drawn to the action adventure of 'Race to Witch Mountain,'" said Zoradi. "There was also this element of parents over 30 who remembered the original and were drawn to this one, so I think that combination is what helped us exceed what folks in the industry thought this movie was going to do."

The ticket sales for "Watchmen" plummeted 67 percent from last weekend's $55.2 million debut, according to studio estimates Sunday. Jeff Goldstein, Warner Bros. executive vice president of distribution, said the studio anticipated the big dip for director Zack Snyder's comic book adaptation about a team of subversive superheros.

"It's very common with higher profile, highly anticipated movies," said Goldstein.

This weekend also opening in wide release was "The Last House on the Left", the Universal horror remake, which turned up at No. 3 with $14.7 million in ticket sales, and "Miss March," the Fox Atomic comedy in the No. 10 spot with $2.4 million. 20th Century Fox's thriller "Taken" remained at No. 4 with $6.7 million in its seventh weekend in theaters.

The weekend box office total was down 16 percent compared with last year, factoring in 2009's higher admission prices, making it the first down weekend in six weeks. Paul Dergarabedian, president of box office tracker Media By Numbers, does not believe the shift signals the end of 2009's otherwise stellar year at the box office.

"I don't think this down weekend reflects any kind of lack of interest by the audience," Dergarabedian said. "I think it has to do with 'Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who' opening a year ago with $45 million. That's really a tough comparison. Not every weekend this year is going to be up when you have some strong openings like that from last year."

For Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, the estimated ticket sales, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "Race to Witch Mountain," $25 million.

2. "Watchmen," $18.1 million.

3. "The Last House on the Left," $14.7 million.

4. "Taken," $6.7 million.

5. " Tyler Perry 's Madea Goes to Jail," $5.1 million.

6. "Slumdog Millionaire," $5 million.

7. "Paul Blart: Mall Cop," $3.1 million.

8. "He's Just Not That Into You," $2.9 million.

9. "Coraline," $3.3 million.

10. "Miss March," $2.4 million.