Brad Pitt’s new World War II drama Fury will bring down the curtain on 2014 London Film Festival.

The 50-year-old Oscar-winner – who plays a battle-hardened army sergeant in the film, which has been announced as the event’s closing movie – will walk up the red carpet at the European premiere at the Odeon Leicester Square on October 19, with director David Ayer.

Ayer, who also wrote the film, described the decision as “a great honour”, saying: “It’s a true pleasure to be returning to England, where we shot the film.

A resounding cinematic achievement

“The fields of Oxfordshire and Bovingdon Airfield in Hertfordshire were our home for 12 weeks last year, so it’s something of a homecoming for us to present the movie at its European premiere. I’m thrilled that festival audiences will be among the first in Europe to see it.”

Set in 1945, Fury also stars Shia LaBeouf, Logan Lerman, Michael Pena and Jon Bernthal as an American crew embarking on a deadly mission behind enemy lines.

The festival’s director Clare Stewart said: “Fury is a resounding cinematic achievement. Rarely is a film so successful at balancing the human drama of war with such thrilling action sequences. We look forward to welcoming LFF alumni David Ayer and Brad Pitt to London as we draw the 58th BFI London Film Festival to a monumental close.”

The 58th BFI London Film Festival runs from October 8 to October 19. The festival’s full line-up will be announced on September 3.