David Ayer

At one point during “Fury,” the World War II drama starring Brad Pitt, a tank commander’s head is blown off while he’s hunched outside his vehicle during a fiery battle with a combatant. “Fury” writer-director David Ayer insists he didn’t include the surprise decapitation simply to shock moviegoers.

World War II has proven to be fertile cinematic ground: there are so many inspirational stories to tell from a number of perspectives, all important. The challenge lies in telling a new tale and avoiding treading on familiar territory.