David Ayer and Brad Pitt’s previous collaboration is finding a new streaming home on Netflix following the strong box-office performance of their latest survival thriller, Heart of the Beast. The director and actor joined forces for the popular 2014 action film, which continues to serve as a benchmark for Ayer’s newest release.
Heart of the Beast has already earned more than $170 million worldwide against an estimated production budget of $80 million. Although it remains approximately $40 million behind the earlier collaboration, the new survival thriller has received similarly enthusiastic reactions from audiences.
Audience approval has increasingly become a hallmark of Ayer’s recent work. The filmmaker has delivered three consecutive crowd-pleasers over the past three years. His 2024 action film The Beekeeper collected more than $160 million globally and secured a “Verified Hot” 92% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. In 2025, he teamed up with Jason Statham again for A Working Man, which brought in nearly $100 million worldwide and earned an 87% audience score on the review aggregator. Heart of the Beast has surpassed both films in audience reception, currently holding an impressive 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Meanwhile, Ayer and Pitt’s 2014 collaboration continues to attract viewers, boasting an 84% audience rating and maintaining its position as a major streaming favourite.
How David Ayer’s World War II Film Performed at the Box Office
The film in question is Fury, a World War II action drama featuring Brad Pitt alongside Jon Bernthal, Shia LaBeouf, Logan Lerman and Michael Peña. The story centres on an American tank crew navigating the final days of the war.
During its theatrical run, Fury generated approximately $210 million worldwide against a reported budget of $80 million. The film currently holds a “Certified Fresh” 75% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, with the site’s consensus describing it as: “Overall, Fury is a well-acted, suitably raw depiction of the horrors of war that offers visceral battle scenes but doesn’t quite live up to its larger ambitions.”
Bernthal has also enjoyed a particularly busy year, appearing in several major releases. His recent projects include the Netflix series His & Hers, the Disney+ special The Punisher: One Last Kill, and two consecutive blockbuster releases, The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Fury is now available to stream on Netflix.
