Steven Spielberg has found his follow-up to Lincoln. The acclaimed director is teaming up with Bradley Cooper for American Sniper, a project based on the memoir written by the late Navy SEAL Chris Kyle.

The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that Spielberg will also act as co-producer with Andrew Lazar and Peter Morgan. It is being set up at Warner Bros.

Cooper has been the driving force of the project, which took a sad turn when Kyle was killed at a shooting range in Texas in February. Just days later, a shocked Cooper said on NPR that he hopes that the film could get moving at a quicker pace.

Kyle considered himself the deadliest American sniper, claiming to have killed a record number of insurgents during his time in the Navy. He retired in 2009 and wrote American Sniper, which became a best-seller.

Cooper is currently working on another film based on a true event, American Hustle, which is being directed by Silver Linings Playbook’s David O. Russell. The actor dropped out of Jane Got A Gun and will soon start promoting The Hangover Part III.

Spielberg also has several projects in the works and is still reportedly hoping to make Robopocalypse. That film has been delayed and it looks like American Sniper will be made while he waits for the opportunity to start production on that. He’s also producing Jurassic Park 4 for 2014 and is not going to direct Warner Bros.’ Moses epic.

image: image.net