Movie

The 'Silver Linings Playbook' actor wants to move forward with the film project about Kyle, who is known as the 'most lethal sniper in U.S. military history.'

Feb 8, 2013

AceShowbiz - Bradley Cooper wants to fast track his long-gestating movie project "American Sniper" in the wake of the shooting death of Chris Kyle, a former Navy sniper. On Thursday, February 7, the Oscar-nominated actor said on NPR program "Fresh Air" that he had met with the producers shortly after the tragedy to determine "how we can speed up the process and really try to make this movie."

Cooper's meeting with the producers was not only to find out "what we can do for [Kyle]s] family, but also on putting the movie on the fast track." He added, "His story, first of all, needs to be told, and it's also relevant on two fronts. One, gun control, and two, the needs to address this - the many soldiers that are coming back with post-traumatic stress disorder."

The movie project will be based on "American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History" written by Kyle himself. The project still has not found a director, but has already secured Jason Dean Hall to pen the script. Words are, Hall will be finishing the first draft of the screenplay this week.

Developed at Warner Bros. Pictures, the project has Cooper himself serving as a co-producer alongside Andrew Lazar and Peter Morgan. He will also tackle the lead part of Kyle, who was known as the most lethal sniper in America with 160 confirmed kills and 255 claimed kills in Iraq.

Ironically, Kyle was shot to death on February 2 at a shooting range in Erath County, Texas. It is believed that Kyle was shot by Eddie Ray Routh, a veteran who suffers from post traumatic stress disorder. Kyle was with Routh at the range to help the suffering vet with his PTSD.

As quoted by The Wrap, Cooper was shocked as he found out about Kyle's death. "I couldn't belive it," said the actor. "Thursday I was at Walter Reed Hospital meeting with veterans who have post-traumatic stress disorder, among many other ailments, and then all of a sudden I heard this thing and I just couldn't believe it."

Cooper is up for Best Actor award at the upcoming Oscars thanks to his role in "Silver Linings Playbook". He will next be seen reuniting with Jennifer Lawrence in "Serena" and starring opposite Ryan Gosling in "The Place Beyond the Pines". His other next projects included "The Man from Primrose Lane" and an untitled David O. Russell project about Abscam scandal.