LOS ANGELES – The film adaptation of Paula Hawkins’ best-selling psychological thriller “The Girl on the Train” easily topped the box office this weekend, outpacing the embattled slavery drama “The Birth of a Nation” by a long stretch.

Starring Emily Blunt, “The Girl on the Train” took in $24.5 million for a first-place finish, while Nate Parker’s “The Birth of a Nation,” a Sundance sensation that’s been overshadowed by a rape case in Parker’s past, netted only $7 million for a sixth-place bow. The film, about Nat Turner’s 1831 slave rebellion was acquired by Fox Searchlight for a record $17.5 million.

Audiences were instead largely drawn to films that came out last weekend, like “Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children,” which took in $15.1 million to take second place, and “Deepwater Horizon,” which earned $11.5 million for third place.

“The Magnificent Seven” and “Storks,” both in their third weekends, rounded out the top five with $9 million and $8.3 million, respectively.

Top films

Last weekend’s take / total take (weeks in release)

1. “The Girl On The Train” $24,536,265 / $24,536,265 (1)

2. “Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children” $15,141,789 / $51,195,272 (2)

3. “Deepwater Horizon” $11,527,027 / $38,295,415 (2)

4. “The Magnificent Seven” $9,011,682 / $75,777,075 (3)

5. “Storks” $8,294,309 / $49,962,803 (3)

6. “The Birth Of A Nation” $7,004,254 / $7,004,254 (1)

7. “Middle School: The Worst Years Of My Life” $6,878,437 / $6,878,437 (1)

8. “Sully” $5,010,340 / $113,225,772 (5)

9. “Masterminds” $4,078,715 / $12,767,040 (2)

10. “Queen Of Katwe” $1,627,313 / $5,393,949 (3)