The first "American Sniper" trailer is now out, giving a taste of the suspenseful action that awaits moviegoers as it hits theaters on December.
Bradley Cooper stars as Christopher Scott "Chris" Kyle, a United States Navy SEAL who is arguably the most lethal sniper in American military history with 160 confirmed kills out of 255 claimed kills.
Kyle, born April 8, 1974, was a frogman assigned to SEAL Team 3, Sniper Element, Charlie (Cadillac) Platoon. An awardee of several commendations and special honors for acts of heroism and meritorious service in combat, Kyle claimed that Iraqi insurgents called him "Al-Shaitan Ramad" or "The Devil of Ramadi" and placed a $20,000 bounty on his head, according to a report by The Telegraph.
Having served four tours in the Iraq War, he was honorably discharged from the United States Navy in 2009. On February 2, 2013, Kyle, along with a companion, was shot and killed at the Rough Creek Ranch-Lodge-Resort shooting range in Erath County, Texas by Marine veteran Eddie Ray Routh, whom they purportedly took to the gun range, reported The New York Times, in an effort to help him deal with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Bradley Cooper gained 40 pounds of bulk and trained with actual Navy SEALS in preparation for the role, Fox News reported.
The upcoming film's plot, according to The Washington Post, will likely show some of the extreme combats and sacrifices that Kyle saw and experienced during his deployments to Iraq, as well as his struggle to adjust to life at home in between.
With Clint Eastwood at the directorial helm and a Christmas 2014 limited release date, "American Sniper" appears to be a likely contender at the Oscars, reported Time.
"American Sniper" is a biographical film based on "American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History", the memoir of Chris Kyle. Sienna Miller will play opposite Cooper as Taya Renae Kyle, Chris Kyle's wife.
"American Sniper" releases wide on January 16, 2015.
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