Brad Pitt's war movie "Fury" is set to win this weekend's box office with an $8.8 million performance, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The movie is expected to garner at least $25 million after a strong showing this Friday.
"Fury" was released just two months before another World War 2 film, "Unbroken" is launched, which stars Pitt's wife Angelina Jolie in the lead.
"Fury" is co-produced by Sony, LStar Capital, and QED International with a $68 million budget, featuring Brad Pitt as an Army sergeant commanding a five-man tank crew in the middle of Nazi Germany.
Todd Cunningham of The Wrap sees the film hitting the number one spot this week, displacing "Gone Girl" at the top as well as fighting back George Clooney's "The Monuments Men" with its estimated $22-million box office showing.
"The audience for "Fury" included more women than might be expected - 60 percent were men - perhaps owing to Pitt's appeal. It also played a little bit younger, with nearly half the crowd under the age of 35, than a WWII movie might be expected to," writes Cunningham.
Forbes.com's movie reporter Scott Mendelson says "Fury" is Friday's biggest movie, calling it "a solid hit" and "on track to earn around $25 million for the weekend."
"The gruesome, R-rated war drama is another solid win for star Brad Pitt," Mendelson adds. "Considering it had little sell beyond Mr. Pitt and the World War II setting... this is a fine example of genuine old-school star power. It may not end up being the Oscar contender some may have been hoping for, but it's going to be another solid adult-skewing R-rated hit for the Fall season."
"The Book of Life", an animated PG-rated film directed by Jorge Gutierrez and produced by Guillermo del Toro, grabbed third place with $4.9 million, failing to topple "Gone Girl" in second place with a $5.5 million performance on Friday.