American Sniper: Production Information and News (Includes Box Office News)

[antonis]

according to this site .......

BREAKING: Eastwood To Replace Spielberg On AMERICAN SNIPER

http://twitchfilm.com/2013/08/breaking-eastwood-to-replace-spielberg-on-american-sniper.html

[KC]

Well, that should make an interesting contrast to Jersey Boys ... does anyone see it as a musical?

We'll see if this comes to pass. Thanks for posting, Antonis!

[Lin Sunderland]

This could be an interesting project for Clint. We will have to wait and see what happens.

[antonis]

If this is true,it means he rested long enough.Two movies back to back?

[AKA23]

This would be an intriguing move for Eastwood. I can see this happening. When I first heard that Steven Spielberg dropped out, I thought that this project would appeal to Eastwood. He has a strong friendship with Spielberg, having worked with him twice before, first on "Bridges" and then later when Spielberg recommended him to direct "Flags of Our Fathers." The stated rationale for Spielberg leaving the project was that Spielberg wanted to deliver a larger budget project than the studio was comfortable with, and Eastwood is very cost conscious and has a lot of experience bringing quality films in on time and under budget.

"Flags" was a similarly war-themed picture which celebrated the men who raised the flag on Iwo Jima and also dealt with the cost of war. This project seems to be covering similar ground. My first choice is always to see Eastwood acting in a worthy project. Second to that is directing an original story. This would be another biopic for Eastwood, which wouldn't be my first choice, but if doing this means that Eastwood is dropping his planned remake of "A Star is Born" than sign me up as a supporter for this project!

[Dan Dassow]

Well, that should make an interesting contrast to Jersey Boys ... does anyone see it as a musical?

Seriously, this could be very evocative if done in the style of "West Side Story" or Grand Opera.
Less seriously, this would be hilarious farce or touching as kabuki theater.

[AKA23]

"Deadline," which is usually a pretty accurate resource, reports that Eastwood is in fact in negotiations with Warner Bros to direct this project with a planned start date in the first quarter of 2014.

http://www.deadline.com/2013/08/clint-eastwood-in-negotiations-to-direct-american-sniper-for-warner-bros/

[KC]

The news has been picked up by Variety now (it says he is "in talks," so nothing is final):

Eastwood is in production on the adaptation of “Jersey Boys” and would jump to “American Sniper” once the musical finishes filming.

http://variety.com/2013/film/news/clint-eastwood-american-sniper-warners-1200585301/

[antonis]

As reported this one will be a Bradley Cooper production.
Kind of hard to imagine no Malpaso involvement.

[higashimori]

^^ " Clint Eastwood To Direct ‘American Sniper’ [Rumor] "

 http://www.inquisitr.com/914409/clint-eastwood-to-direct-american-sniper-rumor/

 

Clint Eastwood could be on-board to direct the adaptation of American Sniper. The acclaimed actor and filmmaker is currently attached to big-screen version of Jersey Boys. However, word on the street suggests he could sign on for the upcoming thriller as well. According to the folks at Twitch, Clint Eastwood “has gotten the nod” to take control of American Sniper for Warner Bros. It’s unclear if the Gran Torino star is officially on-board or is simply in negotiations with the studio to take the rein.

 
" Clint Eastwood in Talks to Direct 'American Sniper' "

 http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/clint-eastwood-talks-direct-american-611186

 

Eastwood is in early talks to direct the movie, based on the autobiography of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

 " Bradley Cooper Sets Up Navy SEAL Pic 'American Sniper' at Warner Bros. (Exclusive) "

 http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/bradley-cooper-navy-seal-american-sniper-warner-bros-303006
 
 

Cooper is producing and likely starring in the adaptation of the autobiography of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, with Jason Dean Hall on board to write the script.

[higashimori]

 

Is Clint Eastwood ready to return to the battlefield nearly a decade after his war movies "Letters From Iwo Jima" and "Flags of Our Fathers" earned six Oscar nominations combined?

 http://news.yahoo.com/clint-eastwood-may-replace-steven-spielberg-bradley-coopers-215015681.html;_ylt=A2KLOzImTxdSkzUAZf7QtDMD

[exit00]

Interesting that Bradley Cooper was also mentioned as the possible male lead in A Star Is Born a while back.  This movie just sounds like it could be right up Clint's alley for directing.....

[KC]

A brief exchange at the end of an interview with Tom Stern (which Antonis posted a link to in another thread) confirms that this project is going forward.

[AKA23]

This interview seems to be the most conclusive evidence that Eastwood is planning on moving forward with this project, and may even be doing this next. Another project from Eastwood that I'm not particularly excited about seeing

[The Schofield Kid]

Another project from Eastwood that I'm not particularly excited about seeing

What type of film would get you excited, AKA?

[AKA23]

What type of film would get you excited, AKA?

I was pretty excited about "Trouble with the Curve," but the final product didn't explore the themes as deeply or as effectively as I was hoping for. It was a much lighter film than I thought it should have been given the father/daughter dysfunction that was at its heart. Of course, I am always much more excited about Eastwood acting than directing, so I'd like to see him acting more. In terms of subject matter, if Eastwood is only directing, I'd like to see him direct original stories. A psychological thriller in the vein of "In the Line of Fire" would be the type of movie I'd love to see Eastwood do. If not that, perhaps a smaller, independent film like "Nebraska" or "Still Mine." I think there are still some good roles for someone of Eastwood's age. I think he's just not looking for them much anymore. 

In recent years, Eastwood has done a lot of fact-based dramas and biopics (Changeling, Invictus, Letters from Iwo Jima, Flags of Our Fathers, J. Edgar, Jersey Boys, and now, potentially, American Sniper.)  Since Eastwood is getting pretty old, and I feel like other directors can do these fact-based dramas as good as or better than Eastwood can, I'd prefer him to focus his energies on directing original, fictional stories. His screen presence is also quite unique, so I'd like to see him using it. The movies I enjoy most allow me to invest in new characters and new stories, and Eastwood hasn't done much of that type of film lately.   

[exit00]

AKA23 - I pretty much agree with you in that I don't get very excited when I find out that Clint is doing some biopic or true-life story. (Although I did love Letters From Iwo Jima). There's gotta be a bunch of original drama stories that he could choose from.  What he did with Mystic River shows how good a fictional drama that he can produce.  I also would love to see him direct some sort of psychological thriller.  Something in the vein of Play Misty for Me and Tightrope come to mind.

[AKA23]

AKA23 - I pretty much agree with you in that I don't get very excited when I find out that Clint is doing some biopic or true-life story. (Although I did love Letters From Iwo Jima). There's gotta be a bunch of original drama stories that he could choose from.

Thanks for the support, Exit. I also think it would be great for Eastwood to find a role that is a little outside his comfort zone as an actor. I'd like to see Eastwood be a little bit more vulnerable at times. Part of the reason that many feel that Eastwood is not a good actor is because he tends to repeat the same persona over and over in the roles that he chooses, but I think that he is actually a better actor than he is credited as being. My favorite scene in all of Eastwood's movies is the scene in "In the Line of Fire" when Horrigan is describing his feelings about the Kennedy assassination in the hotel room with Lily Raines. His voice cracks, you can see and hear that what he is describing pains him, and he is very effective in the scene. Similarly, he is quite good in the scene from "Million Dollar Baby," where he is describing to the priest the moral dilemma he feels in granting Maggie's request. I feel like Eastwood should be doing more vulnerable roles that allow him to showcase his versatility as an actor. The tough guy roles are enjoyable but they don't expand what he can do, and they are getting to be quite repetitive. I  also feel like it would be a good idea for Eastwood to work with some other well-established directors who might be able to help him elicit this vulnerability. I'd love to see him work with someone like Martin Scorsese, or Steven Spielberg, or even a younger director like Ben Affleck. Eastwood is a great director, but I feel like someone like Wolfgang Petersen was able to draw a different kind of performance out of him than we have usually seen, and I'd like to see more of those performances.   

[Walt]

I agree with the above post, to a point. There's more to acting than being able to cry which seems to be most of the scenes you highlight.

I think he's acted well in all his movies and he's gone out of his commfort zone a few times, White Hunter Black Heart for instance. The reality is that Clint became a "star" through his screen persona. Yes I've enjoyed his "different" roles but most fans, including me enjoy seeing him in his more traditional roles.

At his age he's doing well to be the star of any film. Personally I'd love to see him as a James Bond villain but as far as directing, I totally agree with you. Biopics don't reall interest me even though I thought Invictus to be an excellent film.

[Perry]

Rather see Mickey Rourke in the role than overrated Cooper