'Girl On The Train' Steamrolls Parker's 'Birth of a Nation'

JAKE COYLE
AP Film Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Propelled by the popularity of Paula Hawkins' best-seller, the adaptation of "The Girl on the Train" led North American theaters in ticket sales with $24.7 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. Less successful was Nate Parker's Nat Turner biopic "The Birth of a Nation," which opened with a disappointing $7.1 million.

"The Girl on the Train," a psychological thriller starring Emily Blunt, appealed significantly to female moviegoers, who made up 68 percent of the audience. The film is about an alcoholic suburbanite woman who becomes embroiled in a mysterious disappearance.

"The Birth of a Nation" fetched a record $17.5 million at its Sundance Film Festival premiere. But a resurfaced rape allegation against director and star Parker overshadowed the film's release. Parker, who has maintained his innocence, was acquitted in 2001.