Steven Spielberg pulls out of 'American Sniper'

[August 07, 2013]  LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Steven Spielberg is no longer planning to direct "American Sniper."

Publicist Marvin Levy confirmed Tuesday that Spielberg won't helm the adaptation of Chris Kyle's best-selling autobiography as announced in May.

Bradley Cooper is set to play the former Navy SEAL sniper, who was killed along with a friend earlier this year while at a North Texas gun range. A 25-year-old former Marine and Iraq war veteran was indicted for the killings last month.

Kyle is considered the deadliest sniper in U.S. military history. At the time of his death, he was working on another book, "American Gun: A History of the U.S. in Ten Firearms."

Spielberg has yet to announce his follow up to "Lincoln," which was nominated for 12 Oscars and won two: Production design and actor (Daniel Day-Lewis).

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.