The North American weekend box office belongs to "Fury," the Brad Pitt-starring WWII epic. The intense war film -- also featuring Shia LaBeouf, Logan Lerman, Michael Pena and Jon Bernthal -- earned an estimated $23.5 million and knocked "Gone Girl" from the top spot. David Ayer directed the film about a five-man army and a tank that embark on a violent missions behind enemy lines, and will next bring DC Comics' "Suicide Squad" to the big screen.

After two weeks on top, director David Fincher's tense adaptation of Gillian Flynn's novel, "Gone Girl" still pulled in a respectable $17.8 million, finishing in second place. Third place belonged to the Guillermo Del Toro-produced family film "The Book of Life," set within a fantasy world that exists during Mexico's Day of the Dead, starring the voices of Diego Luna, Zoe Saldana and Channing Tatum. It drew in $17 million in its opening weekend.

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Meanwhile, "Guardians of the Galaxy" passed $700 internationally this week, finishing with $733 million worldwide -- according to Box Office Mojo -- making it the fourth highest grossing movie of the year. "Guardians" has passed "Captain America: Winter Soldier" and "The Amazing Spider-Man 2," and currently sits behind third place's "X-Men: Days of Future Past" global haul of $746 million.

The Michael Keaton dark comedy "Birdman" is also breaking records, albeit on a smaller scale. Opening in only four total theatres in New York and Los Angeles this weekend, the film has took in an estimated $415,000. It is the 19th highest "per theater average" gross, and the ninth highest live-action grossing film on a per theater average, according to Box Office Mojo.