Father Of Chris Kyle To Clint Eastwood: ‘Disrespect My Son, And I’ll Unleash Hell’

Chris Kyle, subject of the upcoming Clint Eastwood film American Sniper, was the most deadly and fearsome sniper in the history of the Navy SEALs.

With 160 confirmed kills out of 255 probables, Kyle was a fascinating person for director Eastwood, the rugged actor known for tough-guy roles like “Dirty” Harry Callahan.

This fascination led him to make American Sniper his next major film project after 2014’s Jersey Boys and 2011’s J. Edgar.

The film is already picking up Oscar buzz, not only for Eastwood’s direction but for Bradley Cooper’s lead performance of Chris Kyle.

But before the film became a reality, both men decided to take a trip to Texas to speak with a man very familiar with the late sniper — his father, Wayne Kyle.

And according to a recent interview with the Mail Online, that meeting was contentious from the start.

Wayne admitted that he wasn’t happy with Hollywood setting their sights on his son for a film adaptation, but that if it was going to be done, then it had better be done right.

“I know what Hollywood can do and how it can change things,” Kyle said. “I told Mr. Eastwood I was not happy that a film was being made about my son, but they were very respectful and told me they would tell the truth.”

Wayne Kyle said that Cooper and Eastwood “both looked me in the eye and told me they would not do anything to harm my son’s reputation.”

“I told them I would unleash hell on them if they did anything to disrespect my son,” he added.

Given that Chris Kyle was his son, it’s easy to see how the elder Kyle might be a force to contend with, though it’s not clear what he would do to “unleash hell.”

Eastwood and Cooper didn’t want to find out and assured Wayne that he would be proud of the final product.

“I liked them both. The fact that they came to Texas to meet with me showed they were serious about what they were going to do. I liked Mr. Cooper. He was very respectful and honest and so was Mr. Eastwood.”

Kyle has been invited to a special screening of the film before it hits theaters worldwide on January 16. He admits to being very apprehensive about seeing the film and the memories that it could bring back about his son, who was tragically gunned down in 2013 at a firing range by Eddie Ray Routh, a veteran said to be suffering from PTSD.

American Sniper will reportedly not deal with that event in the life of Chris Kyle.

[Image via SD Reader]