Columbia Pictures has acquired domestic distribution and a good portion of the available international distribution rights to David Ayer’s upcoming war film Fury, with Brad Pitt set to star in the leading role. The announcement was made today by QED International CEO Bill Block and Doug Belgrad, President of Columbia Pictures.
Fury is set at the very end of World War II, in April 1945. As the Allies make their final push in the European Theater, a battle-hardened army sergeant named Wardaddy (Pitt) commands a Sherman tank and her five-man crew on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. Outnumbered and outgunned, Wardaddy and his men face overwhelming odds in their heroic attempts to strike at the heart of Nazi Germany.
“We loved this script from the moment we read it,” Belgrad said. “This is epic and authentic storytelling at its finest and we couldn’t be more excited to be in business with David Ayer and Brad Pitt on this incredible story of sacrifice and heroism.”
QED and the studio previously partnered on the worldwide hit District 9. Fury is Ayer’s second film with QED, which is financing and producing his ensemble action thriller Ten, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sam Worthington and Mireille Enos, and which is set for release from Open Road Films in January 2014. Fury also reteams Ayer with John Lesher, who produced his last film, End of Watch.
QED is producing the film with John Lesher’s Le Grisbi Productions and Ethan Smith. Alex Ott is co-producing the feature with Ayer. Principal photography is set to begin in September 2013 and Columbia anticipates releasing Fury on November 14, 2014.
