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Opening this weekend is The Help director Tate Taylor’s The Girl on the Train. Based on the Paula Hawkins novel of the same name, which has the distinction of being the fastest-selling adult novel in history, the film follows the story of Rachel (Emily Blunt), a lonely, alcoholic divorcee who uses her daily commute to fantasize about the seemingly perfect life of the couple—whom she dubs “Jason and Jess” (Luke Evans and Hayley Bennett)—she glimpses every day when the train stops at the signal. One day, however, she sees something shocking during the train’s routine stop, and subsequently becomes entangled in a web of intrigue involving a missing woman. Scripted by Erin Cressida Wilson (Secretary), the film also stars Allison Janney, Rebecca Ferguson, Justin Theroux, Edgar Ramirez, and Lisa Kudrow.

Last week in New York City I sat down with Tate Taylor for a wide-ranging interview. He revealed how his early short film, Chicken Party, changed his career, how he got involved in The Girl on the Train, casting the roles, who he invites to early screenings for honest feedback, deleted scenes, what will be on the Blu-ray, what he might do next, an unreleased sex scene between Tika Sumpter and Chadwick Boseman in Get on Up, and so much more. Check out what he had to say in the player above and below you is a list of what we talked about.

Tate Taylor:

• Chicken Party talk (his early short film). Explains how the short changed the course of his career.
• How did he land The Girl on the Train?
• Got involved when book was exploding in popularty.
• The casting of the film.
• Talks about how Haley Bennett got involved in the film.
• Who does he typically invite to early screenings for honest feedback?
• How did the film get adjusted by test screenings?
• Was the first cut a lot longer?
• Talks about a sex scene in Get on Up that will never be released between Tika Sumpter and Chadwick Boseman.
• Does he think Girl on the Train will have an extended cut on the Blu-ray.
• Talks about being “two take Tate”.
• What is he going to do next?

The Girl on the Train Synopsis and Images

Here’s the official synopsis for The Girl on the Train:

In the thriller, Rachel (Blunt), who is devastated by her recent divorce, spends her daily commute fantasizing about the seemingly perfect couple who live in a house that her train passes every day, until one morning she sees something shocking happen there and becomes entangled in the mystery that unfolds.