For me, it’s not Christmas until I see Hans Gruber fall majestically in slow motion from Nakatomi Plaza in action classic Die Hard. To celebrate the 30th Anniversary this landmark movie, an all-new 4K Ultra HD™ re-mastered edition and Blu-ray will be available from available 14 May from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.
Bruce Willis is John McClane in the film that launched the billion-dollar action franchise, DIE HARD. McClane, a New York City cop, flies to L.A. on Christmas Eve to visit his wife at a party in her company’s lavish high-rise. Plans change once a group of terrorists, led by Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman), seize the building and take everyone hostage, McClane slips away and becomes the only chance anyone has in this beginning-to-end heart-stopping action thriller.
Die Hard became the template for action movies and saw countless copycats like Under Siege, Passenger 57, White House Down, and Executive Decision try to replicate the winning formula. Even the subsequent Die Hard sequels (aside from With A Vengence) struggled to recapture the highs of the original, and now you can watch it in glorious 4K.
A sixth Die Hard movie is still in the works with Bruce Willis set to reprise John McClane one last time. Currently titled Die Hard Year One, the film would serve as a prequel and sequel with most of the story taking place in the 70s when McClane first became a cop. Presumably, Willis would bookend the movie with present day scenes, but it’s difficult to imagine anybody else wearing the iconic vest. Die Hard 4.0 director Len Wiseman is back at the helm with Conjuring writers Carey Hayes & Chad Hayes, Die Hard Year One still has no fixed release date.
After the woeful lows of A Good Day To Die Hard, I’m sceptical that the world needs another Die Hard sequel. That said, the critically panned AGDTDH generated more than $300 million worldwide, so there’s still life in this franchise yet.
Fans can also purchase the complete DIE HARD COLLECTION limited edition Blu-ray™ Steelbook, available only on Zavvi on 14 May. The box set will include all five films in the franchise and a host of special features.
