Disney’s “Race to Witch Mountain” came in first at the box office this weekend, surpassing expectations with an impressive $25 million in ticket sales.

The sci-fi adventure film starring Dwayne Johnson as a cabbie who encounters a couple of extraterrestrial teenagers easily outshone the R-rated superhero epic “Watchmen,” which grossed $18.1 million in its second week and slipped one position to No. 2.

Mark Zoradi, president of Disney’s motion-picture group, explained analysts had expected that director Andy Fickman’s remake of the 1975 movie “Escape to Witch Mountain” would take in $20 million or less. Now, however, the studio hopes the new “Witch Mountain” to preserve good results in theaters across North America with kids on spring break.

Another wide release this weekend was Universal’s “The Last House on the Left,” which claimed the third spot at the box office, with $14.7 million in ticket sales, while Fox Atomic’s comedy “Miss March” debuted at No. 10 with a mere $2.4 million. Twentieth Century Fox’s thriller “Taken” lingered at No. 4 with $6.7 million during its seventh weekend in theaters.

“Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail” came in fifth with $5.1 million, barely surpassing Danny Boyle’s “Slumdog Millionaire,” which brought in $5 million. At No. 7 was “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” with $3.1 million, followed by “He’s Just Not That Into You” with $2.9 million and “Coraline” with $2.6 million.

Taking into account 2009’s higher admission prices, the weekend box office total was down 16 percent weighed against last year, marking the first declining weekend in six weeks.