Writer and former US navy seal Chris Kyle, who was shot dead on a firing range by a fellow veteran. Photograph: Paul Moseley/AP

The first trailer for Clint Eastwood’s American Sniper, starring Bradley Cooper as a navy seal dubbed the deadliest gunman in US military history, has hit the web.

The true-life drama, based on US soldier Chris Kyle’s bestselling 2012 autobiography, also stars Sienna Milleras Kyle’s wife, Taya Renae Kyle.

Kyle served four tours in Iraq and was hailed as the deadliest ever US sniper, with 160 confirmed kills prior to his departure from the armed forces in 2009. He was shot dead at a firing range last yearby a fellow veteran with PTSD, whom he had been attempting to help.

Eastwood took on American Sniper last year following the departure of original director Steven Spielbergover budgetary issues. The drama is being billed as a pet project for Cooper, who will also produce, and is being primed for an Oscarsrun in line with the impressive awards season credentials of the film’s director.

Cooper was Oscar-nominated for his acting work on 2012’s Silver Linings Playbookand last year’s American Hustle, both of which were directed by David O Russell. Eastwood has four Oscar wins and four nominations for his movies Unforgiven, Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby and Letters from Iwo Jima, all in the best director and best film categories.

American Sniper debuts on limited release in the US on Christmas Day, in order to qualify for the 2015 Oscars. It then arrives in further North American cinemas on 16 January, and in the UK on the same day.