Steven Spielberg to direct "American Sniper"

Steven Spielberg has his sights set on his next project - a movie about former Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle, who is considered to be the deadliest sniper in U.S. military history.

A spokeswoman for DreamWorks Studios says Spielberg will direct Bradley Cooper in an adaptation of the best-selling book "American Sniper."

"Spread" screenwriter Jason Hall wrote the script based on the autobiography of Kyle, who was killed in February at a Texas gun range. An Iraq war veteran he was trying to help deal with post-trauma stress is charged with the killings.

At the time of his death, Kyle was working on another book, "American Gun: A History of the U.S. in Ten Firearms."

An early 2014 release date is being eyed for the film, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The film will be a co-production of DreamWorks and Warner Bros.