Though E3 is certainly most popular for all of its gaming news updates, occasionally some exciting film news comes out of the convention as well. And yesterday, convention goers got a thrilling first look at the David Ayer-directed WWII tank film Fury, starring Brad Pitt and Shia LaBeouf, by way of a rousing behind-the-scenes featurette.
The footage definitely isn’t an extensive look at the movie, which is being positioned as a possible awards contender this fall by Sony, but it’s certainly an exciting one. Ayer, discussing the men in the tank unit at the film’s center, explained, “They’re exhausted, they’re tired, they’re combat-fatigued. It’s really about a family under incredible strength.” Many WWII flicks have succeeded by focusing on individual characters, and this one looks primed to blend strong protagonists with furious action and suspense.
However, it’s not the cast or the story but the fact that Ayer is sitting behind the camera that puts Fury at the top of my must-see list for this fall. The Training Day director is best known for his cop thrillers – in particular, 2012’s End of Watch is one of the finest films in the genre – but he’s never handled a film with Fury‘s prestige or scale. It should be enjoyable to watch Ayer take on the challenge.
“We’re shooting with real film, with anamorphic lenses and dollies, and it’s not handheld, just very beautiful, elegant moviemaking,” notes producer John Lesher. Ayer is better known for adopting gritty, in-your-face style, but watching him prove that he can craft a more refined and visually powerful film should be interesting.
Fury, also starring Logan Lerman, Michael Pena, Jon Bernthal, and Jason Isaacs, opens November 14th.
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 (Brad 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.