It was revealed back in June that Emily Blunt was eyeing a leading role in The Girl on the Train, DreamWorks’ upcoming adaptation of Paula Hawkins‘ runaway bestseller. Now, Deadline reports that Rebecca Ferguson, the scene-stealing star of Christopher McQuarrie’s Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, is set to join blunt in the Tate Taylor (The Help, Get on Up) film. Ferguson will play Anna, one of three female leads with Blunt starring as Rachel.
DreamWorks picked up the rights to The Girl on the Train in 2014 and had Erin Cressida Wilson (Secretary) begin the adaptation process even before the novel was published in January by Riverhead Books and sold over 2 million copies worldwide. It was the #1 book on the New York Times bestseller list for 19 weeks following its release.
On Hawkins’ official site, The Girl on the Train is officially described as follows:
Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.
And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?
Rebecca Ferguson is also well-known for headlining the BBC One drama “The White Queen” as Queen Elizabeth. She also starred opposite Dwayne Johnson in Brett Ratner’s Hercules.
The Girl on the Train will be produced by Marc Platt and Jared LeBoff for Marc Platt Productions.
