‘American Sniper’ Dad Warned Clint Eastwood He’d ‘Unleash Hell’ If Son Was Disrespected

Wayne Kyle, father of former SEAL Chris Kyle, who is portrayed in the upcoming Clint Eastwood film American Sniper, warned Eastwood he’d ‘unleash hell’ if his son’s memory was disrespected.

Before Clint Eastwood set out to film his upcoming movie American Sniper, he and lead actor Bradley Cooper flew out to Texas to receive permission from Wayne Kyle, father of former Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, whose life is portrayed in the movie. Wayne Kyle eventually permitted as much, but warned them both what would happen if they disrespected Chris’ legacy.

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“Disrespect my son and I’ll unleash Hell on you,” Kyle said, per the Daily Mail.

Chris Kyle was credited with 255 kills in four tours of duty in Iraq, which makes him the deadliest sniper in US history. He was shot dead at a shooting range in 2013 by a former soldier who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, which made him a compelling cinematic figure. When the duo set to head the project approached Chris’ father, Wayne Kyle delivered his succinct message.

Warning aside, the duo received permission and the film is set for limited release on Christmas Day with wide release set for mid-January.

“They looked me in the eye and told me they would honor my son’s memory. That was good enough for me,” Kyle said.

“Both Mr Eastwood and Mr Cooper were men I could trust. They were very open and engaging and did not want to hide anything.”

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