Upon returning to Los Angeles, Matthew first attended a women's and children's charity event, representing the American Sniper crew to donate one million dollars to a foundation dedicated to helping children. At the event, in addition to advocating for children's legal rights, he once again acted as a champion for women's rights, fervently voicing his support.
Nowadays, the feminist movement has become the most prominent social equality campaign. Not only Matthew, but more and more people, including politicians in Washington, have joined the cause. Due to his early involvement, Matthew is widely recognized across the USA as an active supporter and pioneer of the feminist movement.
As for child protection, a societal issue that commands universal attention, Matthew has never wavered. Both he personally and his charitable foundation allocate substantial funds to this cause annually. Children represent the future of humanity as a whole—an unshakable cornerstone for any civilized nation or society.
The donation made on behalf of the crew served as both charity and publicity. However, Matthew ensured a measured approach to avoid appearing overly self-promotional.
After the donation, Matthew gave an interview.
"Helping each other is an innate human instinct," he said passionately on camera, without mentioning the name American Sniper. "If someone gets lost while hiking, search parties are organized. When there's a train accident, people line up to donate blood. When an earthquake flattens a city, emergency supplies are sent from around the globe. This is fundamental human nature, universal across the world. Yes, there will always be selfish people who disregard others, but those who care about others far outnumber them."
This charity event marked the official launch of American Sniper's pre-release publicity campaign.
The shooting incident from last year inevitably resurfaced as Matthew and Warner Bros. capitalized on it for promotional purposes. Media coverage emphasized headlines such as "Shooter of Matthew Horner and Chris Kyle Sentenced to Life, Court Rejects Mental Illness Defense," while surveillance footage that had been withheld until now was released.
The video, uploaded to YouTube, caused a sensation.
Interestingly, the spotlight wasn't on Matthew or Chris Kyle but on Margot Robbie.
A woman who dared confront an armed assailant head-on is undoubtedly extraordinary. As the video gained traction, even before the film's release, Margot Robbie became a household name across America. Some even nicknamed her the "Cup Girl."
The early rise to fame of the leading actress created a significant advantage for the film's marketing. American Sniper was already highly anticipated due to Matthew and the shooting incident, but this new focus amplified its visibility even further.
Additionally, Chris Kyle—the real-life "American Sniper"—had already achieved legendary status with news of his record 166 confirmed kills, making him the deadliest sniper in U.S. history. Stories about his remarkable feats, such as eliminating a target at 1,920 meters and single-handedly taking down 40 enemies during the Battle of Fallujah, fueled public intrigue.
However, a film like this isn't without its controversies.
While Matthew's star power and Clint Eastwood's directorial prestige provided strong backing, the fact that the film was based on a true story attracted significant scrutiny. Chris Kyle, as a celebrated yet polarizing figure, became a target of criticism from humanitarian advocates. His fearsome reputation as a sniper in Iraq elicited both admiration and condemnation.
But controversy isn't necessarily a drawback; it often generates more buzz and discussion.
Under Matthew's influence, combined with the success of the American Sniper memoir and relentless media hype, Chris Kyle was now a universally recognized "military hero" in the U.S. His legendary exploits, such as the record-breaking sniper shot, became common knowledge, painting him as a symbol of patriotism.
Since this is a military-centric film, Matthew naturally focused on appealing to this specific audience.
The U.S. currently has over 22 million veterans and more than 1.5 million active service members. Including their families, the numbers grow even larger. With proper promotion, these groups represented a significant potential audience.
Matthew coordinated with Warner Bros. to arrange pre-release screenings of American Sniper at 20 military bases across the nation. He and Margot Robbie also planned visits to locations like Brooklyn's Fort Hamilton Army Base and the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Additionally, Matthew ensured the White House received an early screening copy. Recognizing the inevitable political context surrounding the film, he leaned into it, fostering closer ties. While President Obama remained reserved, Michelle Obama publicly praised the film, saying, "American Sniper captures the psychological complexities and conflicts faced by soldiers both on the battlefield and after their return home, offering a deeply human and thought-provoking narrative."
From the perspective of the Middle East, Chris Kyle might be seen as a butcher or executioner, but the film's primary market was in the U.S. and the Western world. The Middle Eastern market could essentially be ignored.
Matthew's research revealed that to most Americans, Chris Kyle represented a true hero and a patriotic role model deserving of respect. To solidify this sentiment, Matthew and Warner Bros. enlisted support from veterans' organizations and hired one of Washington's top consulting firms, Glover Park Group, to oversee promotional strategies, ensuring the film avoided avoidable missteps.
Through detailed market research, Matthew identified key regions where the film was likely to perform exceptionally well. Many veterans reside in the southeastern, midwestern, and southern parts of the country. He tailored promotional efforts accordingly, prioritizing smaller towns and regional cinemas in these areas over metropolitan hubs like Los Angeles and New York. Cities like San Antonio, Richmond, and regions in Texas and New Mexico were expected to drive ticket sales, as they hosted large military and veteran populations.
By late August, just two weeks before the anniversary of 9/11, Matthew and Chris Kyle held a joint press conference to announce the establishment of a fund in honor of Chad Littlefield, dedicated to assisting veterans and their families.
This initiative was also a marketing strategy. Warner Bros. and Matthew's production company pledged that proceeds from special screenings of American Sniper would be donated to this fund, encouraging audiences to view the film as a charitable act.
However, the film wasn't without its drawbacks.
The R-rating, due to the intense war scenes, limited its audience compared to PG-13 films. Still, softening the content for a broader rating wasn't an option for a serious war drama.
In early September, Warner Bros. began screenings for military personnel at 20 bases nationwide. Matthew and Margot Robbie visited Fort Hamilton to meet the troops, using every opportunity to promote the film.
The screenings also led to an unexpected spectacle.
In one instance, the soldiers decided to challenge Matthew to arm-wrestling contests. Inside the base theater, a crowd of soldiers gathered around a small table. Margot Robbie stood at the edge of the crowd, watching as Matthew faced off against one soldier after another.
"Start!" shouted the referee, Sergeant Brown Williams.
Matthew's arm muscles bulged as he overpowered his opponent in less than five seconds.
"How many has he beaten now?" Margot muttered, shaking her head. "These guys don't stand a chance."
Another soldier stepped up, only to meet the same fate. The crowd cheered wildly, their earlier jeers turning to admiration.
"Matthew!" Margot cupped her hands around her mouth, shouting like a rowdy cowboy, "You've got this!"
After his latest victory, Matthew stood up and glanced around with a cocky grin.
"Who else wants to try?" he asked, his tone challenging.
The soldiers, humbled by their defeats, burst into laughter. One tall soldier gave Matthew a thumbs-up. "Hollywood's number one tough guy lives up to the hype!"
The respect was unanimous.
"Alright, we admit it—you're a real hardass."
"Matthew, you've got a new fan here!" another soldier chimed in. "Let's leave those phony Hollywood 'military' guys to rot!"
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