Steven Spielberg will not direct "American Sniper."
Deadline reported that Spielberg and Dreamworks were pulling out of the project. According to the publication the director left the project due to budgetary issues. It stated "Spielberg couldn't square his vision of this movie with the budget," reported Deadline. However Warner Bros. is still free to do the project with the proposed budget with another filmmaker.
This is the second time this year that Spielberg has left a project. Seven months ago, the director announced he was putting "Robopocalypse" on hold to concentrate on other projects. The director is currently free for any project, although, he is serving as producer and executive producer on various other films. He will be executive producer on a couple of television shows including "Under the Dome and Falling Skies," and will also serve as executive producer on Christopher Nolan's "Interstellar," Colin Trevorrow's "Jurrasic Park," and Peter Jackson's "The Adventures of Tintin: Prisoners of the Sun." There is no word on what his next film will be, but knowing Spielberg, anything is possible.
Spielberg last directed "Lincoln," which earned him a nomination for Best Director at the Oscars. He also directed "War Horse," and "The Adventure of Tintin," as well "Munich" and "Indiana Jones: Kingdom of the Crystal Skull."
"American Sniper" currently has Bradley Cooper attached to star, but there is no word on whether the actor will leave the project. Rumors has mentioned David O. Russell as a potential replacement but Warner Bros. has made no comment.