Brad Pitt's New Thriller Becomes One of David Ayer's Biggest Comeback Wins

Director David Ayer has developed a rather impressive reputation for having a finger on the audience's pulse. He has now delivered a hat-trick of crowd-pleasing hits, with his latest film all set to emerge as a box-office sleeper hit thanks to the warm reception. With this new hit, Ayer has successfully completed a fairytale Hollywood comeback after being sentenced to director jail a decade ago when Suicide Squad received a critical drubbing. His journey back into the big leagues began with The Beekeeper and continued with A Working Man, both starring Jason Statham. Ayer's latest movie reunited him with Brad Pitt, who was coming off F1, the biggest hit of his career as a leading man.

The stakes, therefore, were incredibly high. Ayer and Pitt first worked together on the World War II movie Fury, which grossed around $210 million worldwide in 2014, against a reported budget of $80 million. Also featuring Shia LaBeouf, Jon Bernthal, Michael Peña, and Logan Lerman, the movie received positive reviews from critics and audiences alike. It now holds an 84% audience score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, and is frequently among the most popular movies on streaming. The Beekeeper, on the other hand, holds a "Verified Hot" 92% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, after having grossed more than $160 million worldwide. A sequel is slated for release early next year, but without Ayer at the helm. A Working Man took things up a notch with a "Verified Hot" 98% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, and Ayer's new film continued the hot streak.

David Ayer's Second Film with Brad Pitt Is a Sleeper Hit

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We're talking, of course, about the survival thriller Heart of the Beast. The movie is now sitting at a "Certified Fresh" 84% critics' score and a "Verified Hot" 94% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus reads, "A rigorously entertaining adventure story told through a spartan script and memorable set pieces, Heart of the Beast pays rousing tribute to man's best friend." Produced on a reported budget of $80 million, the movie has grossed more than $130 million worldwide in three weeks. It's registering impressive holds and is projected to hit the $200 million mark at the global box office thanks to excellent word-of-mouth and encouraging reviews.