Fury conquers box office

Fury debuted at the top of the US box office at the weekend.

The war film, starring Brad Pitt and Shia LaBeouf, debuted with $23.5 million in earnings, according to early estimates.

The feature, directed by David Ayer, follows Brad’s character, Don 'Wardaddy' Collier, a hardened army sergeant pushing the Allied forces into Nazi Germany.

Gone Girl meanwhile slipped from one to two with $17.8 million.

Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike star in the David Fincher adaptation based on Gillian Flynn’s best-selling novel, about a man accused of murder when his wife disappears, leading the couple to uncover dark secrets about one another.

Animation adventure The Book of Life debuted at three with $17 million.

Jorge R. Gutierrez directed the film, featuring the voices of Zoe Saldana, Diego Luna, Channing Tatum, Ron Perlman, Christina Applegate and Ice Cube as they tell the story of a young man fighting to follow his dreams.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day fell from three to four with just over $12 million.

The Miguel Arteta film stars Steve Carell, Jennifer Garner and Ed Oxenbould as the calamitous title character.

Romantic drama The Best of Me rounds out the top five, debuting with $10.2 million in earnings.

Michelle Monaghan and James Marsden star in the Michael Hoffman-directed feature, about high school sweethearts who rekindle their love affair when they return home.