The Girl on the Train turns 10 this week, and the polarizing psychological thriller still divides audiences over its unreliable narrator and its star. Behind the adaptation of Paula Hawkins’ 2015 novel, though, there is a production story full of last-minute recasting, a setting switch and a studio change that kept the original release date. Here are eight things you may not have caught.
Chris Evans and Jared Leto were almost in it
Before Justin Theroux and Luke Evans joined, Jared Leto and Chris Evans were in talks to star: Evans would play Rachel’s ex-husband Tom, and Leto would play the neighbor’s husband. Both left due to scheduling issues, with Theroux replacing Evans and Luke Evans replacing Leto.
Kate Mara was on the studio’s wish list
Emily Blunt was offered the title role of the lonely, alcoholic divorcée Rachel in June 2015. Around that time, the studio had eyed Kate Mara for another of the three lead roles. Rebecca Ferguson was confirmed to play Anna, and Haley Bennett was added as Megan.
The London novel moved to New York
Paula Hawkins’ novel is set in London, but the adaptation relocated its commuter obsession. Hawkins told The Sunday Times that the film’s setting would be moved from London to Westchester, New York. Erin Cressida Wilson was hired to write the script, and Tate Taylor was hired to direct, in early 2015.
Cameras rolled across New York
Principal photography began on November 4, 2015, in New York City. In late November 2015, filming also took place in White Plains, Hastings-on-Hudson and Irvington. Filming wrapped up on January 30, 2016.
Disney set the date, Universal released it
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures scheduled the film for an October 7, 2016 release through its Touchstone Pictures banner. When DreamWorks and Disney did not renew their distribution deal, Universal Pictures acquired the distribution rights as part of a new deal with DreamWorks’ parent company, Amblin Partners. Universal retained Disney’s original release date; Entertainment One released the film in the United Kingdom on October 5, 2016.
It topped the box office on opening weekend
The film was projected to gross around $25–30 million in its opening weekend, with some estimates as low as $18 million. It went on to gross $24.5 million, finishing first at the box office. In its second weekend it grossed $12 million, finishing second.
It multiplied its budget worldwide
The Girl on the Train grossed $75.4 million in the United States and Canada and $97.8 million in other countries. The worldwide total came to $173.2 million, against a production budget of $45 million.
Critics split but praised Emily Blunt
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 44% based on 307 reviews, with the critical consensus reading that Emily Blunt’s outstanding performance isn’t enough to keep The Girl on the Train from sliding sluggishly into exploitative melodrama. Metacritic recorded a weighted average score of 48 out of 100 from 49 critics, and audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a B−.
That split is one reason the film remains a fascinating rewatch a decade later. Which of these behind-the-scenes twists surprised you most?
Facts from Wikipedia: The Girl on the Train (2016 film), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Film images from TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.
