Although largely ignored by movie critics, “Prom Night” was a surprisingly strong winner this weekend, selling $22.7 million for Sony Corp.

The movie, a PG-13 remake of a 1980 horror film, starring Jamie Lee Curtis, tells the story of Donna (Brittany Snow) who is the sole survivor of a stalker who killed her family three years earlier and who has returned to finish his job. The movie budget was about $20 million.

“Horror film openings have gotten smaller and smaller this year as some fatigue has kicked in. But ‘Prom Night’ has an appealing premise, a recognizable title and a terrific marketing push that is exciting the core crowd,” said Gitesh Pandya, editor of BoxOfficeGuru.com

With its unexpected success, “Prom Night” topped Keanu Reeves’ crime thriller “Street Kings,” which finished second with $12 million for News Corp.’s Twentieth Century Fox. Directed by David Ayer, the writer and co-producer of “Training Day’ and based on a script written by James Ellroy, the movie casts Keanu Reeves playing the role of Tom Ludlow, a harsh police officer hunting the hoodlums on the streets and hunted in turn by his own demons.

“21”, the movie in which Kevin Spacey plays the role of Micky Rosa, an MIT math professor who gathers a group of students teaching them how to turn the odds at blackjack in their favor, ranked third with $11 million.

News Corp.’s children’s adventure film “Nim’s Island,” starring Academy Award nominee Abigail Breslin and two-time Oscar winner Jodie Foster has gained the fourth place with $9 million falling two places from last week.

Sports comedy “Leatherheads,” which premiered last weekend has achieved only the fifth place (from third) with $6,207,000. The movie stars George Clooney (who also directed) as a professional football player during the 20s, (when fans preferred to watch college teams), John Krasinski and Renee Zellwegger in the role of a reporter who attracts both men’s attention.

“Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears A Who!” is still an attraction for the movie goers earning this weekend $6 million, which placed it at six. The movie established a record since it premiered 29 days ago, gaining a total of $139, 628,000.

Chris Aronson of 20th Century Fox, which released “Horton” said, “It’s all about the product. I don’t think we’re going to see another movie break $100 million until ‘Iron Man’ (out May 2). Certainly, the economy has something to do with it. But if you have a movie people really want to see, they’re going to pay for the gas and the dinner and see it. And so far, we haven’t had the movies we did last year. But there are some big movies this summer, so that could turn around,” he said quoted by the USA Today.

“Smart People” from Walt Disney Co.’s Miramax, an R-rated romantic comedy-drama starring Dennis Quaid, Sarah Jessica Parker, Thomas Haden Church and “Juno” herself, Ellen Page, opened in seventh place with $4.2 million.

“The Ruins,” from Viacom’s Paramount Pictures fell three place from fifth last weekend, with $3,250,000.

“Superhero Movie” from Weinstein Co.’s Dimension Films ($3,114,000) and Paramount’s Drillbit Taylor” ($2,070,000) rounded this weekend’s Top 10.