The Untold Story of American Sniper: Top 11 Changes Made From the True Story
American Sniper, the blockbuster movie based on the life of Chris Kyle, made significant changes to the true story. Here are the top 11 alterations that were made from the real events, revealing the untold story behind the film.
Kyle's Wedding Wasn’t Interrupted By The Outbreak Of War
"American Sniper" Chris Kyle Interview | CONAN on TBS
In the movie adaptation of American Sniper, Kyle's wedding to his wife, Taya, is interrupted by the news of America going to war following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. However, in real life, Kyle had already learned about his deployment, and he and Taya decided to get married during a brief period of leave from military training before he was shipped off to war. This alteration added a dramatic twist to the storyline, portraying a sense of urgency that didn't exist in reality.
Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle and Sienna Miller as Taya dance at their wedding in American Sniper.
The Scene In The Civilian House Was Invented For The Movie
One scene in the American Sniper movie depicts Kyle and his fellow SEALs taking shelter in a civilian house, where they are welcomed with a meal. However, when they find weapons hidden under the floorboards, they realize the family is pro-insurgency and enter an intense shootout with them. This scene was entirely fabricated for the film, adding tension and suspense to the narrative.
The SEALs eat in a civilian house in American Sniper
Kyle And Taya Mostly Communicated Via Email
In the movie, Kyle frequently speaks to his wife Taya on the satellite phone, portraying emotional conversations amidst the sounds of battle. However, in reality, Kyle and Taya mostly communicated via email. The filmmakers opted for dramatic phone calls to intensify the emotional impact, deviating from the actual mode of communication between the couple.
Bradley Cooper using a satellite phone in American Sniper
The Butcher Is Fictional
Mido Hamada plays “The Butcher,” an infamous terrorist who attacks small children, in the movie adaptation of American Sniper. The Butcher is depicted as al-Qaeda leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi’s second-in-command. Although inspired by a real figure, the Butcher is a fictional character created specifically for the movie, adding a menacing antagonist to the storyline.
The Butcher with a drill in American Sniper
Kyle’s Final Conversation With Taya Isn’t In The Book
The film ends with Kyle’s death as he heads to a shooting range with veteran Eddie Ray Routh, who would ultimately kill him. In the movie, Kyle has a heartfelt final conversation with his wife before leaving for the shooting range. This conversation doesn’t appear in the book, but it was added to humanize Kyle and emphasize the impact of his tragic fate.
Sienna Miller as Taya embraces Chris in American Sniper.
The Bounty On Kyle’s Head Was Smaller And Applied To Any American Sniper
The American Sniper movie illustrates Kyle’s notoriety with posters bearing his tattoos, which promised a $180,000 bounty to anyone who killed him. However, the reward was actually in the $20,000 to $80,000 range, and it applied to any American sniper, not just Kyle. This alteration exaggerated Kyle's significance and the danger he faced, adding a dramatic element to the narrative.
A wanted poster in American Sniper
Kyle Came Home From War To Avoid Divorce
In the movie, Kyle decides to come home from war after killing Mustafa and determining that he feels too dejected to keep fighting. However, in real life, he decided to come home to avoid a divorce. His military service was putting a strain on his marriage, and Taya had threatened to leave him if he didn’t come home. This change in motivation adds a personal and emotional dimension to Kyle's decision to return home.
Taya talking to Kyle in American Sniper
Mustafa Is Partly Fictional
The American Sniper movie introduces a Syrian sniper named Mustafa, an ex-Olympic sharpshooter, who is Kyle's main 'opponent'. This character is a partially fictional creation, as Mustafa is only briefly mentioned in one paragraph of Kyle’s memoir and is not the main villain of the story. This portrayal of Mustafa as a significant adversary adds intensity and conflict to the narrative.
Mustafa using a sniper rifle in American Sniper
Kyle’s Friends’ Stories Are Fictionalized
Both the memoir and its film adaptation feature many of Kyle’s friendships on the battlefield. However, the characters of Ryan “Biggles” Job and Marc Lee are fictionalized in the movie. The film adds dramatic events and conflicts to their stories, altering the portrayal of Kyle's relationships and emphasizing the impact of their tragic fates.
Bradley Cooper and Luke Grimes in military uniform in American Sniper
Kyle Wanted To Enlist Since High School
In the movie, Bradley Cooper's Kyle is motivated to enlist in the U.S. military when he watches the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings on television. However, in reality, Kyle had intended to join the military after he graduated from high school. This alteration creates a more compelling and dramatic origin story for Kyle's military career, adding depth to his character.
Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle sitting in a chair in American Sniper.
Chris Kyle Never Had To Shoot A Child
In the opening scene of American Sniper, the pressures of Kyle’s sniping career are demonstrated when he sees a woman hand an anti-tank grenade to a child, who then approaches a U.S. military convoy, and Kyle has to decide whether to pull the trigger. In real life, there was no child; the woman herself carried the grenade to the convoy. This alteration adds a moral dilemma and emotional weight to Kyle's experiences, shaping a different narrative for his character.
A woman gives a child a bomb in American Sniper-1
