If you’re going to change directors, swapping Steven Spielberg for Clint Eastwood is a great trade. With a limited US release of December 25th, American Sniper is now gearing up to be in the Oscar race, with Bradley Cooper aiming for his third Oscar nomination in a row with the movie.

Here’s the synopsis: ‘From director Clint Eastwood comes “American Sniper,” starring Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle, the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history. But there was much more to him than his skill as a sharpshooter.

‘U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle is sent to Iraq with only one mission: to protect his brothers-in-arms. His pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and, as stories of his courageous exploits spread, he earns the nickname “Legend.” However, his reputation is also growing behind enemy lines, putting a price on his head and making him a prime target of insurgents. He is also facing a different kind of battle on the home front: striving to be a good husband and father from halfway around the world.

‘Despite the danger, as well as the toll on his family at home, Chris serves through four harrowing tours of duty in Iraq, personifying the SEAL creed to “leave no man behind.” But upon returning to his wife, Taya Renae Kyle (Sienna Miller), and kids, Chris finds that it is the war he can’t leave behind.’

The movie arrives in UK cinemas (and goes wide in the US) on January 16th. [Read more…]

At one point it looked like producer/star Bradley Cooper had scored Steven Spielberg to direct American Sniper. However while the bearded one stepped away he got a great replacement in the form of Clint Eastwood.

Now the first images have arrived, via USA Today, and you can take a look at them above and below.

The action movie is based on the autobiography of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle (Cooper), a Texas native who racked up the most confirmed sniper kills of anyone in US military history. However before he took the record, he was a rodeo cowboy. Tragically though, he was killed by a fellow veteran at a shooting range in February 2013 (it’s not clear if that will be included in the movie).

Cooper did manage to talk to Kyle before he died. He says, “Thank God I got to talk to him once on the phone. It was a very quick conversation. But I did tell him how serious I was about making this movie. And he should just know that whatever fears he had about Hollywood, to just put them aside and trust me. That I was going to do everything I could to tell this story.”

Sienna Miller also stars as Kyle’s wife Taya Renae Kyle.