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{{Short description|1988 film by John McTiernan}}
{{About|the 1988 action film|other uses|Die Hard (disambiguation)}}
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{{Infobox film
| name           = Die Hard
| image          = Die Hard (1988 film) poster.jpg
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| director       = [[John McTiernan]]
| producer       = {{Plainlist|
* [[Lawrence Gordon (producer)|Lawrence Gordon]]
* [[Joel Silver]]
}}
| screenplay     = {{Plainlist|
* [[Jeb Stuart (writer)|Jeb Stuart]]
* [[Steven E. de Souza]]
}}
| based_on       = {{Based on|''[[Nothing Lasts Forever (Thorp novel)|Nothing Lasts Forever]]''|[[Roderick Thorp]]}}
| starring       = {{Plainlist|
* [[Bruce Willis]]
* [[Alan Rickman]]
* [[Alexander Godunov]]
* [[Bonnie Bedelia]]
}}
| music          = [[Michael Kamen]]
| cinematography = [[Jan de Bont]]
| editing        = {{Plainlist|
* [[Frank J. Urioste]]
* [[John F. Link]]
}}
| production_companies = {{Plainlist|
* [[20th Century Fox]]
* Gordon Company
* [[Silver Pictures]]
}}
| distributor    = 20th Century Fox
| released       = {{Film date|1988|07|12|Avco Theater|1988|07|15|United States}}
| runtime        = 132 minutes<ref name="Runtime"/>
| country        = United States
| language       = English
| budget         = $25–35{{nbsp}}million
| gross          = $139.8–141.5{{nbsp}}million
}}

'''''Die Hard''''' is a 1988 American <!--DO NOT ADD 'CHRISTMAS FILM', IT WILL JUST BE DELETED. PER [[Wikipedia:FILMGENRE]] ONLY THE PRIMARY GENRE SHOULD BE PRESENT AND 'CHRISTMAS FILM' IS DISPUTED. SEE TALK PAGE.-->[[action film]]<!--DO NOT ADD 'CHRISTMAS FILM', IT WILL JUST BE DELETED. PER [[Wikipedia:FILMGENRE]] ONLY THE PRIMARY GENRE SHOULD BE PRESENT AND 'CHRISTMAS FILM' IS DISPUTED. SEE TALK PAGE.--> directed by [[John McTiernan]] and written by [[Jeb Stuart (writer)|Jeb Stuart]] and [[Steven E. de Souza]], based on the 1979 novel ''[[Nothing Lasts Forever (Thorp novel)|Nothing Lasts Forever]]'' by [[Roderick Thorp]]. It stars [[Bruce Willis]], [[Alan Rickman]], [[Alexander Godunov]], and [[Bonnie Bedelia]], with [[Reginald VelJohnson]], [[William Atherton]], [[Paul Gleason]], and [[Hart Bochner]] in supporting roles. ''Die Hard'' follows a New York City police detective, [[John McClane]] (Willis), who becomes entangled in a terrorist takeover of a Los Angeles skyscraper while visiting his estranged wife during a Christmas Eve party.

Stuart was hired by [[20th Century Fox]] to adapt Thorp's novel in 1987. His first draft was [[greenlit]] immediately, as the studio was eager for a [[Blockbuster (entertainment)|summer blockbuster]] the following year. The role of McClane was turned down by a host of the decade's most popular actors, including [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]] and [[Sylvester Stallone]]. Known mainly for work on television, Willis was paid $5{{nbsp}}million for his involvement, placing him among Hollywood's highest-paid actors. The deal was seen as a poor investment by industry professionals and attracted significant controversy towards the film prior to its release. Filming took place between November 1987 and March 1988, on a $25{{nbsp}}million to $35{{nbsp}}million budget and almost entirely on location in and around [[Fox Plaza (Los Angeles)|Fox Plaza]] in Los Angeles.

Expectations for ''Die Hard'' were low; some marketing materials omitted Willis's image, ostensibly because the publicity team determined that the setting was as important as McClane. Upon its release in July 1988, initial reviews were mixed: criticism focused on its violence, plot, and Willis's performance, while McTiernan's direction and Rickman's charismatic portrayal of the villain [[Hans Gruber]] were praised. Defying predictions, ''Die Hard'' grossed approximately $140{{nbsp}}million, becoming the year's tenth-highest-grossing film and the highest-grossing action film. Receiving four [[61st Academy Awards|Academy Award]] nominations, it elevated Willis to leading-man status and made Rickman a celebrity.

''Die Hard'' has been critically re-evaluated and is now considered one of the [[List of films considered the best#Action|greatest action films of all time]]. It is considered to have revitalized the action genre, largely due to its depiction of McClane as a vulnerable and fallible protagonist, in contrast to the muscle-bound and invincible heroes of other films of the period. Retrospective commentators also identified and analyzed its themes of vengeance, masculinity, gender roles, and American anxieties over foreign influences. Due to its Christmas setting, ''Die Hard'' is often named one of the [[List of films considered the best#Christmas|best Christmas films of all time]], although its status as a [[List of Christmas films|Christmas film]] is disputed.

The film produced a host of imitators; the term "''Die Hard''{{-"}} became a shorthand for plots featuring overwhelming odds in a restricted environment, such as "''Die Hard'' on a bus" in relation to ''[[Speed (1994 film)|Speed]]''. It created [[Die Hard (franchise)|a franchise]] comprising the sequels ''[[Die Hard&nbsp;2]]'' (1990), ''[[Die Hard with a Vengeance]]'' (1995), ''[[Live Free or Die Hard]]'' (2007), and ''[[A Good Day to Die Hard]]'' (2013), plus [[Die Hard (film series)#Video games|video games]], comics, and other merchandise. Deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the United States [[Library of Congress]], ''Die Hard'' was selected for preservation in the [[National Film Registry]] in 2017.

==Plot==
<!-- PER WP:FILMPLOT, PLOT SUMMARIES FOR FEATURE FILMS SHOULD BE BETWEEN 400 AND 700 WORDS. -->
On Christmas Eve, [[New York City Police Department]] (NYPD) Detective [[John McClane]] arrives in [[Los Angeles]], hoping to reconcile with his estranged wife, Holly, at a party held by her employer, the Nakatomi Corporation. He is driven to Nakatomi Plaza by a limo driver, Argyle, who offers to wait for McClane in the garage. While McClane washes himself, the tower is seized by German ex-radical [[Hans Gruber]] and his heavily armed team, including Karl and Theo. Everyone in the tower is taken hostage except for McClane, who slips away, and Argyle, who remains oblivious to events.

Gruber is posing as a terrorist to steal the $640{{nbsp}}million in untraceable [[bearer bond]]s in the building's vault.{{efn|The $640{{nbsp}}million in the vault is equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|640000000|1988}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US-GDP}}.}} He kills executive Joseph Takagi after failing to extract the access code from him and tasks Theo with breaking into the vault. The terrorists are alerted to McClane's presence, and Karl's brother, Tony, is sent after him. McClane kills Tony and takes his weapon and radio, which he uses to contact the skeptical [[Los Angeles Police Department]] (LAPD). Sergeant [[Al Powell]] is sent to investigate. Meanwhile, McClane kills more terrorists and recovers their bag of [[C-4 (explosive)|C-4]] and detonators. Realizing Powell is about to leave, having found nothing amiss, McClane drops a terrorist's corpse onto his car. After Powell calls for backup, a [[SWAT]] team attempts to storm the building but is counterattacked by the terrorists. McClane throws some C-4 down an elevator shaft, causing an explosion that kills some of the terrorists and ends the counterattack.

Holly's co-worker Harry Ellis attempts to negotiate on Gruber's behalf but is killed by Gruber when McClane refuses to surrender. While checking the explosives on the roof, Gruber encounters McClane and pretends to be an escaped hostage; McClane gives Gruber a gun. Gruber attempts to shoot McClane but finds the weapon is unloaded, and he is saved only by the intervention of other terrorists. McClane escapes but is injured by shattered glass and loses the detonators. Outside, [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] (FBI) agents take control. They order the power to be shut off, which, as Gruber had anticipated, disables the final vault lock so his team can collect the bonds.

The FBI agrees to Gruber's demand for a helicopter, intending to send helicopter gunships to eliminate the group. McClane realizes Gruber plans to blow the roof to kill the hostages and fake his team's deaths. Karl, enraged by Tony's death, attacks McClane and is seemingly killed. Gruber sees a news report by Richard Thornburg on McClane's children and infers that he is Holly's husband. The hostages are taken to the roof while Gruber keeps Holly with him. McClane drives the hostages from the roof just before Gruber detonates it and destroys the approaching FBI helicopters. Meanwhile, Theo retrieves an escape vehicle from the parking garage but is knocked out by Argyle, who has been following events on the limo's [[Citizens band radio|CB radio]].

A weary and battered McClane finds Holly with Gruber and his remaining henchman. McClane seemingly surrenders to Gruber and is about to be shot but grabs his concealed service pistol taped to his back and uses his last two bullets to wound Gruber and kill his accomplice. Gruber crashes through a window but grabs onto Holly's wristwatch and makes a last-ditch attempt to kill the pair. McClane unclasps the watch, and Gruber falls to his death. Outside, Karl ambushes McClane and Holly; Karl is shot dead by Powell. Holly punches Thornburg when he attempts to interview McClane. Argyle crashes through the parking garage door in the limo and drives McClane and Holly away together.

==Cast==
{{multiple image|total_width=350
 | direction = horizontal
 | alt footer = Head shots of Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman 
 | caption_align = center 
 | image1 = Bruce Willis by Gage Skidmore 3.jpg
 | caption1 = [[Bruce Willis]] in 2018
 | image2 = Alan Rickman cropped and retouched.jpg
 | caption2 = [[Alan Rickman]] in 2011
}}
* [[Bruce Willis]] as [[John McClane]], a New York City police detective<ref name="ReviewLATimes"/>
* [[Alan Rickman]] as [[Hans Gruber]], the ruthless leader of the terrorists<ref name="ReviewNYT"/>
* [[Alexander Godunov]] as Karl, Gruber's second-in-command<ref name="ReviewLATimes"/>
* [[Bonnie Bedelia]] as Holly Gennaro-McClane, a high-ranking Nakatomi executive and John's estranged wife<ref name="NewYorkerThemes"/>
* [[Reginald VelJohnson]] as [[Al Powell]], an LAPD sergeant<ref name="ReviewDesson"/>
* [[Paul Gleason]] as Dwayne T. Robinson, the LAPD Deputy Chief<ref name="THRCast"/>
* [[De'voreaux White]] as Argyle, John's limousine driver<ref name="ReviewDesson"/>
* [[William Atherton]] as Richard Thornburg, an unscrupulous TV reporter<ref name="Thornburg1"/><ref name="DOGRankings"/>
* [[Clarence Gilyard]] as Theo, Gruber's tech specialist<ref name="NewYorkerThemes"/>
* [[Hart Bochner]] as Harry Ellis, a sleazy Nakatomi executive<ref name="DigitalSpyEllis"/>
* [[James Shigeta]] as Joseph Yoshinobu Takagi, Nakatomi's head executive<ref name="NewYorkerThemes"/>

Other cast members include Gruber's henchmen: Bruno Doyon as Franco, [[Andreas Wisniewski]] as Tony, Joey Plewa as Alexander, [[Lorenzo Caccialanza]] as Marco, Gerard Bonn as Kristoff, [[Dennis Hayden (actor)|Dennis Hayden]] as Eddie, [[Al Leong]] as Uli, Gary Roberts as Heinrich, Hans Buhringer as Fritz, and [[Wilhelm von Homburg]] as James. [[Robert Davi]] and [[Grand L. Bush]] appear as FBI Special Agents Big Johnson and Little Johnson, respectively, [[Tracy Reiner]] appears as Thornburg's assistant, and [[Taylor Fry]] and Noah Land make minor appearances as McClane's children Lucy McClane and John Jr.<ref name="BFICast"/>

==Production==
===Development and writing===
[[File:John McTiernan at the Cinémathèque Française (Cropped).jpeg|thumb|upright|left|alt= Director John McTiernan dressed in a blue shirt and glasses facing the camera|Director [[John McTiernan]] in 2014]]
The development of ''Die Hard'' began in 1987, when screenwriter [[Jeb Stuart (writer)|Jeb Stuart]] was in dire financial straits. His script purchased by [[Columbia Pictures]] had been abandoned and a contract at [[Walt Disney Pictures]] was not providing him with sufficient income. Stuart had six weeks between contracted work so his agent [[Jeremy Zimmer]] contacted [[Lloyd Levin]], the head of development at the Gordon Company, a producing arm of [[20th Century Fox]].<ref name="VarietyBook"/>

Levin asked Stuart to work on an adaptation of the 1979 novel ''[[Nothing Lasts Forever (Thorp novel)|Nothing Lasts Forever]]'' written by former private investigator [[Roderick Thorp]].<ref name="VarietyBook"/><ref name=Independent1/> Thorp had been inspired to write ''Nothing Lasts Forever'' by a dream he had—in which armed assailants chase a man through a building—after watching the 1974 disaster film ''[[The Towering Inferno]]''.<ref name="VarietyBook"/><ref name="VanityFairat30"/><ref name="NYTimesThorp"/> Fox had adapted the book's 1966 predecessor, ''[[The Detective (novel)|The Detective]]'', for the [[The Detective (1968 film)|1968 film]] starring [[Frank Sinatra]] as NYPD detective Joe Leland, and purchased the sequel rights before ''Nothing Lasts Forever'' had been written.<ref name="VarietyBook"/><ref name="VanityFairat30"/>

Levin gave Stuart creative freedom as long as he retained the [[Christmas]]-in-[[Los Angeles|Los-Angeles]] setting; the concept, he considered, would provide an interesting aesthetic.<ref name="VarietyBook"/> The film was [[Pitch (filmmaking)|pitched]] as "[[John Rambo|Rambo]] in an office building", referring to the successful ''[[Rambo (franchise)|Rambo]]'' film series.<ref name="EbertSeitz"/> Producers [[Lawrence Gordon (producer)|Lawrence Gordon]] and [[Joel Silver]] hired director [[John McTiernan]] because of his work with them on the successful 1987 action film ''[[Predator (1987 film)|Predator]]''.<ref name="NYTimesSalaryAftermath"/><ref name="VultureRetro"/><ref name="EmpireRetro"/> McTiernan agreed to direct on the condition that the film would have "some joy" and not simply contain "mean, nasty acts", seen in other terrorist films.<ref name="VanityFairat30"/>

Stuart began working 18-hour days at his office at [[Walt Disney Studios (Burbank)|Walt Disney Studios]] in [[Burbank, California|Burbank]], which left him exhausted and "on edge".<ref name="VarietyBook"/> After an argument with his wife, he went for a drive and saw a box in his lane; unable to avoid it, he was forced to drive over it and discovered it to be empty. According to Stuart, he pulled over on the side of the freeway, his "heart pounding". From this, Stuart conceived a central theme of the story of a man who should have apologized to his wife before a catastrophe. He returned home to reconcile with his wife and wrote 35 pages that night.<ref name="VarietyBook"/> To shape the McClanes' relationship, Stuart also drew upon the marital problems of his peers, including divorces and ex-wives reverting to use their maiden name.<ref name="VarietyBook"/>

[[File:Disney studios burbank team disney building buena vista.jpg|thumb|alt=Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California.|[[Jeb Stuart (writer)|Jeb Stuart]] wrote his initial draft in his office at the [[Walt Disney Studios (Burbank)|Walt Disney Studios]] in [[Burbank, California]].]]
[[John McClane]] was named John Ford initially, but 20th Century Fox felt this was disrespectful to the deceased director [[John Ford|of the same name]]. Stuart chose McClane as a "good strong Scottish name", based on his own Celtic heritage. He described the character as a flawed hero who learns a lesson in the worst possible situation and becomes a better, but not a different, person.<ref name="VarietyBook"/> Having no experience writing action films, Stuart drew on his experience writing thrillers, focusing on making the audience care about McClane, Holly, and their reconciliation.<ref name="VarietyBook"/> As Stuart pitched his story to executives, Gordon interrupted him, told him to complete a draft, and left the meeting. Stuart finished his first draft just under six weeks later.<ref name="VarietyBook"/>

Stuart credits Levin for helping him understand ''Nothing Lasts Forever''.<ref name="VarietyBook"/> He adapted many sequences faithfully, including a C-4 charge being thrown down an elevator shaft and the book's central character, Joe Leland, leaping from the roof. However, the novel is told entirely from Leland's perspective, and events he is not present for are not detailed.<ref name="VarietyBook"/><ref name="CreativeScreenwriting"/><ref name="AVNovel"/> Its tone is also more cynical and [[Nihilism|nihilistic]]: Leland visits his drug-addicted daughter at the Klaxon building, and she dies having fallen from the building alongside villain Anton Gruber, who is using naïve male and female guerrilla soldiers to rob the building because of Klaxon's support for a dictatorial government. This made their motivations less clear and Leland more conflicted about killing them, especially the women. Leland is written as an experienced older man working as a high-powered security consultant.<ref name="VarietyBook"/><ref name="EmpireRetro"/><ref name="AVNovel"/> Stuart rejected the novel's tone for being "too sad", and believed an older action hero—Leland being over 60—was nonsensical. Stuart created new material for scenes when McClane is not present, expanding upon or introducing characters: he gave Powell a wife and children, allowing him to relate more closely to McClane; and Argyle, whose novel counterpart disappears early in the story, is present throughout Stuart's draft, supporting McClane by broadcasting rap music over the terrorists' radios. Among the script's original characters is the unscrupulous journalist Richard Thornburg.<ref name="VarietyBook"/>

A fan of prominent Western film actor [[John Wayne]], Stuart was inspired to carry a Western motif throughout the script, including cowboy lingo. He befriended a construction superintendent at the under-construction [[Fox Plaza (Los Angeles)|Fox Plaza]] in Los Angeles, allowing him access to the building to gain ideas on how to lay out the characters and scenes. He delivered the finished screenplay in June 1987. It was [[Green-light|greenlit]] the following day, in part because 20th Century Fox needed a [[Blockbuster (entertainment)|summer blockbuster]] for 1988.<ref name="VarietyBook"/>

===Casting===
[[File:Bonnie Bedelia 1974.JPG|upright|left|thumb|alt=Portrait of Bonnie Bedelia looking directly at the camera |Willis chose [[Bonnie Bedelia]] (pictured in 1974) to portray Holly Gennero-McClane after he saw her performance in ''[[Heart Like a Wheel (film)|Heart Like a Wheel]]'' (1983).]]
Because ''Die Hard'' was based on the novel sequel to the film adaptation of ''The Detective'', the studio was contractually obliged to offer Frank Sinatra the role of John McClane. Sinatra, who was 70 at the time, declined.<ref name=Independent1/><ref name="VanityFairat30"/> The role was then offered to various major stars including [[Sylvester Stallone]], [[Richard Gere]], [[Clint Eastwood]], [[Harrison Ford]],<ref name="VultureRetro" /><ref name="DevOtherActors" /> [[Burt Reynolds]],<ref name="CastReynolds" /> [[Nick Nolte]], [[Mel Gibson]], [[Don Johnson]], [[Richard Dean Anderson]],<ref name="Independent1" /> [[Paul Newman]],<ref name="CastNewman" /> [[James Caan]],<ref name="DailyBeastCaan" /> and [[Al Pacino]].<ref name="AlPacino"/> The prevailing action archetype of the era was a muscle-bound, invincible macho man like [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]], who was offered the role, but he wanted to branch out into comedy and turned it down to star in ''[[Twins (1988 film)|Twins]]'' (1988).<ref name=Independent1/> Willis was known mainly for his comedic role in the romantic comedy television series ''[[Moonlighting (TV series)|Moonlighting]]'', starring opposite [[Cybill Shepherd]]. He declined the role because of his contractual obligations to ''Moonlighting'', but when Shepherd became pregnant, the show's production was stopped for eleven weeks, giving Willis enough time to take the role.<ref name=Independent1/>

McTiernan's girlfriend had a chance meeting with a representative of [[CinemaScore]] and asked them for analysis of Willis as the star. Their analysis showed that casting Willis would not have a negative impact; his participation was confirmed two weeks later.<ref name="lawrence20160830"/> The choice was controversial as Willis had starred in only one other film, the moderately successful comedy ''[[Blind Date (1987 film)|Blind Date]]'' (1987).<ref name=Independent1/><ref name="LATimesJuly03"/> At the time, there was also a clear distinction between film and television actors. Though films like ''[[Ghostbusters]]'' (1984) had demonstrated that television stars could lead a blockbuster film, other television actors like [[Shelley Long]] and [[Bill Cosby]] had failed in their recent attempts to make the transition.<ref name="VultureRetro"/><ref name="VultureJul16"/>

Willis received $5{{nbsp}}million for the role, giving him a salary comparable to more successful, established film actors like [[Dustin Hoffman]], [[Warren Beatty]], and [[Robert Redford]].<ref name="NYTimesSalaryAftermath" /> 20th Century Fox president [[Leonard Goldberg]] justified the figure by saying ''Die Hard'' needed an actor of Willis's potential,<ref name="NYTimesSalaryAftermath"/> and Gordon said that Willis's [[everyman]] persona was essential to conveying the idea that the hero could actually fail.<ref name="NYTimesPostRelease"/> Other Fox sources were reported as saying the studio was desperate for a star after being turned down by so many popular actors.<ref name="DevWillisSalary"/> Willis said, "They paid me what they thought I was worth for the film, and for them."<ref name="CloserWillis"/> He described the character as unlike the larger-than-life characters portrayed by Stallone or Schwarzenegger, saying "even though he's a hero, he is just a regular guy. He's an ordinary guy who's been thrown into extraordinary circumstances".<ref name="LATimesJuly03"/> Willis drew upon his working-class upbringing in [[South Jersey]] for the character, including "that attitude and disrespect for authority, that [[Black comedy|gallows sense of humor]], the reluctant hero".<ref name=Independent1/>

Rickman was already in his early 40s as he made his screen debut as [[Hans Gruber]]. He was cast by Silver, who had seen him perform in a Broadway version of ''[[Les Liaisons Dangereuses (play)|Les Liaisons Dangereuses]]'', playing the villainous Vicomte de Valmont.<ref name=Independent1/><ref name="LegacyEmpire"/> Bedelia was cast at Willis's suggestion after he saw her in the 1983 biographical film ''[[Heart Like a Wheel (film)|Heart Like a Wheel]]''.<ref name="StartTVBedelia"/> VelJohnson appeared as Al Powell in his first major film role at the suggestion of casting director Jackie Burch, with whom he had worked previously. [[Robert Duvall]], [[Gene Hackman]], [[Laurence Fishburne]], and [[Wesley Snipes]] were considered for the role.<ref name="SlashFilmVelJohnson"/><ref name="MaximVelJohnson"/><ref name="SlashSnipes"/> Ellis is portrayed by Hart Bochner, an acquaintance of Silver. His role was shot in chronological order over three weeks. McTiernan had wanted the character to be suave like actor [[Cary Grant]], but Bochner conceived of the character's motivations coming from cocaine use and insecurity. McTiernan hated the performance initially until he noticed Gordon and Silver were entertained by Bochner's antics.<ref name="CastBochner"/>

===Re-write===
[[File:Roy Rogers in The Carson City Kid.jpg|thumb|upright|alt=Roy Rogers dressed in cowboy gear. | [[John McClane]]'s catchphrase "Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker" was inspired by western actor [[Roy Rogers]]'s (pictured) own "Yippee-ki-yay, kids".]]
Screenwriter [[Steven E. de Souza]] rewrote Stuart's script because he had experience in blending action and comedy.<ref name="SlashFilmSouza"/> He approached the story as if Gruber were the protagonist. He said, "If [Gruber] had not planned the robbery and put it together, [McClane] would have just gone to the party and reconciled or not with his wife. You should sometimes think about looking at your movie through the point of view of the villain who is really driving the narrative."<ref name="CreativeScreenwriting"/> De Souza used blueprints of Fox Plaza to help him lay out the story and character locations within the building.<ref name="SlashFilmSouza"/>

The script continued to undergo changes up to and during filming. Several subplots and traits for characters other than McClane were created during the first few weeks of filming because Willis was still working on ''Moonlighting''. He would film the show for up to ten hours and then work on ''Die Hard'' at night. McTiernan gave Willis time off to rest and tasked De Souza with adding the new scenes. These included scenes with Holly's housekeeper, Holly confronting Gruber following Takagi's death, an introductory scene for Thornburg, and more moments between Powell and his fellow officers.<ref name="SlashFilmSouza"/>

Silver wanted a scene between McClane and Gruber before the film's denouement, but De Souza could not think of a plausible scenario until he happened to overhear Rickman affecting an American accent. He realized this would allow Gruber to disguise himself when he met McClane, and the earlier scene of Takagi's murder was reworked to conceal Gruber's identity from McClane. Due to the addition of the Gruber/McClane meeting scene, a different one in which McClane kills Theo was excised.<ref name="SlashFilmSouza"/>

In Stuart's original script, ''Die Hard'' took place over three days, but McTiernan was inspired to have it take place over a single night like Shakespeare's ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream]]''. He did not want to use terrorists as the villains, as he considered them to be "too mean", and avoided focusing on the terrorists' politics in favor of making them thieves driven by monetary pursuits; he felt this would make it more suitable summer entertainment.<ref name="DevMisc"/>

McClane's character was not fully realized until almost halfway through production. McTiernan and Willis had determined that McClane is a man who does not like himself much but is doing the best he can in a bad situation.<ref name="DevMisc"/> McClane's catchphrase, "Yipee-ki-yay, motherfucker", was inspired by old cowboy lingo, including cowboy actor [[Roy Rogers]]'s own "Yippee-ki-yah, kids", to emphasize his all-American character.<ref name=Independent1/><ref name="CreativeScreenwriting"/> There was a debate over whether to use "Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker" or "yippee-ti-yay, motherfucker"; Willis endorsed the former.<ref name=Independent1/>

===Filming===
[[File:Foxplaza la.jpg|thumb|left|upright|alt=A high-rise building known as Fox Plaza | [[Fox Plaza (Los Angeles)|Fox Plaza]] in [[Century City]], Los Angeles, served as the setting for Nakatomi Plaza.]]
[[Principal photography]] began in November 1987, and concluded by early March 1988, with an approximate $25–$35{{nbsp}}million budget.{{efn|Attributed to multiple references:<ref name=Independent1/><ref name="LATimesJuly03"/><ref name="BOMGeneral"/><ref name="NYTimesPreview"/><ref name="LATimesFilming"/><ref name="afi"/>}}{{efn|The 1988 budget of $25–$35{{nbsp}}million is equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|25000000|1988}}}}–${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|35000000|1988}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US-GDP}}.}} Filming took place almost entirely in and around Fox Plaza in [[Century City]], situated on the [[Avenue of the Stars, Century City|Avenue of the Stars]].<ref name="EmpireRetro"/><ref name="SlashDeBont"/><ref name="Gizmodo"/> The location was chosen late in production by [[production designer]] Jackson De Govia.<ref name="DevMisc"/> A mostly unoccupied building was needed, which the under-construction Fox Plaza offered;<ref name="SlashDeBont"/> it was secured with two main conditions: no filming during the day and no damage from explosions.<ref name="EmpireRetro"/>

Cinematographer [[Jan de Bont]] said the building's design was distinct, making it a character on its own, and clear views of the building were available from a distance, enabling establishing shots as McClane approaches it. The surrounding city could be seen from within the building, enhancing the realism.<ref name="SlashDeBont"/> De Bont frequently used handheld cameras to film closer to the characters, creating a more cinematic "intimacy". Very little of the film was [[storyboard]]ed beforehand because De Bont believed intricate storyboarding made his job redundant. Instead, he and McTiernan would discuss that day's filming in detail, and the feeling or sensation they wanted to convey. De Bont was more concerned with creating a dramatic rather than an attractive shot. He cited the use of real flares in the film that generated unpredictable smoke and sometimes obscured the image.<ref name="SlashDeBont"/>

Willis's first day on set was on November{{nbsp}}2, 1987. He came straight from filming ''Moonlighting'' to shoot one of his most pivotal scenes, where McClane leaps from a rooftop as it explodes behind him, saved only by a length of firehose.<ref name=Independent1/> Willis found acting in ''Die Hard'' difficult because it differed from previous experiences in that he was often alone, not having any personal encounters with others.<ref name="CloserWillis"/> He did not spend much time with the rest of the cast between takes, opting to spend it with his new partner, [[Demi Moore]]. In contrast to their on-screen dynamics, Bedelia and VelJohnson spent most of their time between scenes with Rickman.<ref name="PeopleBedelia"/><ref name="VultureTidbits"/> When asked to throw Holly to the floor, Rickman refused because he believed it was not a fitting action for the "civilized" Gruber and that Holly, "a self-possessed career woman", would not have let him.<ref name="BBCRickmanObit"/>

The film's ending had not been finalized when filming began. In the finished film, Theo retrieves an ambulance from the truck the terrorists arrived in to use as an escape vehicle, but as this was a late addition, the truck the terrorists had been filmed arriving in was too small to hold an ambulance. Another scene, showing the terrorists synchronizing their [[TAG Heuer]] watches, also showed the truck was empty; this scene had to be deleted, leading to other necessary changes. As scripted, McClane realizes that the American hostage he encounters is Gruber because of the distinctive TAG Heuer watch he observed on the other terrorists; the watches were no longer an established plot point.<ref name="DevMisc"/><ref name="NMERetro"/> It necessitated the introduction of a heroic scene for Argyle, who gets to stop Theo's escape. De'voreaux actually punched Gilyard during the scene, which was added in only in the last 10 days of filming.<ref name="SlashFilmSouza"/><ref name="VultureTidbits"/>

There was flexibility with some roles, depending on the actors' performances, meaning some characters were kept in the film longer and others killed off sooner.<ref name="SlashFilmSouza"/> The actors were also given some room to improvise, like Theo's line, "The quarterback is toast", Bochner's "Hans, bubby, I'm your white knight", and the henchman Uli stealing a chocolate bar during the SWAT assault.<ref name="CastBochner"/><ref name="VultureTidbits"/> McTiernan took stylistic influence from [[French New Wave]] cinema when editing the film. He recruited [[Frank J. Urioste]] and [[John F. Link]] to edit scenes together while in mid-motion, contrary to the mainstream style of editing used at the time.{{sfn|Lichtenfield|2017}}
{{Clear}}

===Music===
{{Main|Die Hard (soundtrack)}}

{{Listen|filename=Die Hard 1988 - Assault on the Tower.ogg|title=''Michael Kamen&nbsp;– Assault on the Tower''|description=Kamen used samples from various classic songs and sleigh bells to create a score that highlighted the violence|format=[[Ogg]]}}
Before hiring composer [[Michael Kamen]], McTiernan knew he wanted to include [[Beethoven]]'s [[Symphony No. 9 (Beethoven)|9th Symphony]] (commonly known as "Ode to Joy"), having heard it in [[Stanley Kubrick]]'s ''[[A Clockwork Orange (film)|A Clockwork Orange]]'' (1971).{{sfn|Stilwell|1997|pp=568–569}} Kamen objected to "tarnishing" the piece in an action film and offered to misuse German composer [[Richard Wagner]]'s music instead.{{sfn|Stilwell|1997|pp=568–569}}{{sfn|Shivers|1995|p=13}} Once McTiernan explained how the 9th Symphony had been used in ''A Clockwork Orange'' to highlight the ultra-violence, Kamen had a better understanding of McTiernan's intentions.{{sfn|Stilwell|1997|pp=568–569}} In exchange, Kamen insisted that they also license the use of "[[Singin' in the Rain (song)|Singin' in the Rain]]" (1952) (also used in ''A Clockwork Orange'') and "[[Winter Wonderland]]" (1934).{{sfn|Shivers|1995|p=13}} He mixed the melodies of "Ode to Joy", "Winter Wonderland", and "Singin' in the Rain" into his score, mainly to underscore the villains.{{sfn|Lichtenfield|2017}}{{sfn|Stilwell|1997|p=561}}{{sfn|Shivers|1995|p=13}} The samples of "Ode to Joy" are played in slightly lower keys to sound more menacing; the references build to a performance of the symphony when Gruber finally accesses the Nakatomi vault.{{sfn|Shivers|1995|p=13}}{{sfn|Durnford|1995|p=16}} The score also references "[[Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!]]".<ref name="FilmTracks"/><ref name="AllMusicreview"/>{{sfn|Stilwell|1997|p=561}}

Kamen initially saw a mostly incomplete version of ''Die Hard'' and was unimpressed.{{sfn|Shivers|1995|p=13}} He saw the film as primarily about a "phenomenal bad guy" who made McClane seem less important.{{sfn|Shivers|1995|p=13}} Kamen was dismissive of film scores, believing they could not stand alone from the film.<ref name="IndependentKamen"/> His original score incorporates pizzicato and [[Violin technique|arco strings]], brass, woodwinds and sleigh bells added during moments of menace to counter their festive meaning.<ref name="AllMusicreview"/>{{sfn|Durnford|1995|p=16}} There are other uses of classical [[diegetic music]] in the film; the musicians at the party play [[Brandenburg Concertos#Concerto No. 3 in G major, BWV 1048|Brandenburg Concerto No.{{nbsp}}3]] by [[Johann Sebastian Bach]].{{sfn|Durnford|1995|p=16}}

McTiernan did not like a piece created for the final scene in which Karl attempts to kill McClane, and decided to use a [[Temp track|temporary track]] that was already in place: a piece of [[James Horner]]'s unused score for ''[[Aliens (film)|Aliens]]'' (1986). Cues are also used from the 1987 action film ''[[Man on Fire (1987 film)|Man on Fire]]''.<ref name="DevMisc"/><ref name="FilmTracks"/> ''Die Hard'' also features "[[Christmas in Hollis]]" by [[Run-DMC]], which would go on to be considered a Christmas classic, in part because of its use in the film.<ref name="BillboardHollis"/>

==Stunts and designs==
===Stunts===
The perception of film stunts changed shortly before production of ''Die Hard'' following a fatal [[Twilight Zone accident|accident on the set]] of ''[[Twilight Zone: The Movie]]'' (1983), and a push was made to prioritize a film's crew over the film itself.<ref name="VultureRoofStunt"/> Even so, Willis insisted on performing many of his own stunts, including rolling down steps and standing on top of an active elevator.<ref name=Independent1/><ref name="SlashDeBont"/> The first scene he shot was his leap from the top of Nakatomi Plaza with a firehose wrapped around his waist. The stunt involved a {{convert|25|ft|m|adj=on}} leap from a five-story parking garage ledge onto an airbag as a {{convert|60|ft|m|adj=on}} wall of flame exploded behind him. He considered it to be one of his toughest stunts.<ref name=Independent1/><ref name="LATimesJuly03"/> The explosive force pushed him towards the edge of the airbag and the crew was concerned he had died.<ref name=Independent1/> Stuntman Ken Bates stood in for Willis when his character is hanging from the building.<ref name="Curbed"/>

[[File:Die Hard 1988 Rickman Stunt.jpg|thumb|upright|alt=Alan Rickman hanging from a raised platform|[[Alan Rickman]] was suspended from a raised platform and dropped onto an airbag. To capture the descent, an automated system controlled the camera's [[Manual focus|focus ring]] to keep Rickman in focus.]]
A set was used for the following scene where McClane shoots out a window to re-enter the building. It was shot approximately halfway into the filming schedule so that all involved had gained more stunt experience. The window was made of fragile [[sugar glass]] that took two hours to set up, and there were only a few takes for this reason. Instead of a hoist, a team of stuntmen positioned below the window dragged the hose and pulled Willis towards the edge, as they could better control Willis's fall if he went over.<ref name="VultureRoofStunt"/> Editor Frank Urioste kept the scene where McClane falls down a ventilation shaft and catches onto a lower opening; Willis's stuntman accidentally fell further than intended.<ref name="DevMisc"/> During a scene where McClane shoots a terrorist through a table, Willis suffered a permanent two-thirds hearing loss in his left ear caused by firing loud [[Blank (cartridge)|blank cartridges]] close to his head.<ref name="GuardianHearing"/><ref name="RadioTimesHearing"/>

For Gruber's fall from Nakatomi Plaza, Rickman was dropped between {{convert|20|and|70|ft|0}}; reports are inconsistent.<ref name="DevMisc"/><ref name="SlashDeBont"/><ref name="Thrillist"/> He was suspended on a raised platform and dropped onto a [[Chroma key|blue screen]] airbag.<ref name="DevMisc"/><ref name="Thrillist"/> This allowed the background behind him to be composited with footage taken from Fox Plaza and falling confetti that looked like bearer bonds. Rickman had to fall backward onto the bag, something stuntmen avoid to control their fall.<ref name="Thrillist"/> McTiernan convinced Rickman by demonstrating the stunt himself and falling onto a pile of cardboard boxes.<ref name="VultureRoofStunt"/> Rickman was told he would be dropped on a count of three, but he was let go earlier to elicit a genuine look of surprise. McTiernan said, "there's no way he could fake that".<ref name="DevMisc"/><ref name="VultureRoofStunt"/> The first take was used, but McTiernan convinced Rickman to perform a second one as backup.<ref name="Thrillist"/>

Capturing the stunt was difficult because it was impossible for a human operator to refocus the camera fast enough to prevent the image from blurring as Rickman fell away.<ref name="VultureRoofStunt"/> Supervised by visual effects producer [[Richard Edlund]], [[Boss Film Studios]] engineered an automated system using a computer that rapidly refocused the camera via a motor on its [[Manual focus|focus ring]].<ref name="Thrillist"/> A wide-angle lens camera shooting at 270{{nbsp}}frames per second was used, creating footage that played 10 times slower than normal. Despite these innovations, the camera struggled to keep Rickman entirely in focus during his 1.5-second fall; the scene cuts away from Rickman as the usable footage runs out. To complete Gruber's fatal descent, Bates was lowered {{convert|318|ft}} from Fox Plaza in a harness that slowed his fall as he neared the ground.<ref name="VultureRoofStunt"/><ref name="Thrillist"/>{{sfn|Mottram|Cohen|2018|p=95}} Some of the Fox Plaza residents, frustrated by the debris and destruction around the building, refused to turn off their office lights for exterior shots of the Plaza.{{sfn|Mottram|Cohen|2018|p=95}}

Months of negotiations took place for permission to drive a SWAT vehicle up the steps of Fox Plaza. A railing knocked over during shooting was never replaced.<ref name="DevMisc"/><ref name="Gizmodo"/> Small explosives moving along a guidewire were disguised as the terrorist rockets, giving the appearance of them striking the vehicle. In the scene where McClane throws C4 down the elevator shaft to stop the assault, the effects team unwittingly blew out every window on one floor of the building.<ref name="SlashDeBont"/> The final helicopter scene took six months of preparation, and only two hours were set aside to film it. It took three attempts above Fox Plaza, and nine camera crews filming with twenty-four different cameras.<ref name="DevMisc"/><ref name="SlashDeBont"/> De Bont said the different angles enhanced the on-location realism.<ref name="SlashDeBont"/>

Mortar-like devices filled with propane were used for explosions. They took ten minutes to install and offered a six-second burst of flame.<ref name="VultureRoofStunt"/> The explosion of the Nakatomi rooftop was created using a [[miniature effect|miniature model]]; this was the only miniature used in the film.<ref name="SlashDeBont"/> Because Hans Buhringer (Fritz) was an inexperienced actor and filming was behind schedule, a [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] stuntman was put in a blond wig and equipped with [[bullet hit squib|squibs]] to capture the character's death in one take.<ref name="VultureTidbits"/>

===Design===
To prevent the in-building locations looking similar because of the standard [[Fluorescent lamp|fluorescent]] office lighting, De Bont concealed small film lights in high locations. He controlled these to create more dynamic and dramatic lighting. This gave him the opportunity to use unusual light positioning. He also placed fluorescent tubes on the floor in one scene to indicate they had not been installed.<ref name="SlashDeBont" /> The shifting nature of the filming script meant some sets were designed before it was known what they were to be used for.<ref name="DevMisc" />

The Nakatomi Building's 30th floor—where the hostages are held—was one of the few sets.<ref name="SlashFilmSouza"/><ref name="DevMisc"/> It contained a recreation of the [[Frank Lloyd Wright]]-designed house [[Fallingwater]]. De Govia reasoned that it reflected the contemporary trend of Japanese corporations buying up American corporate assets. An early design for the Nakatomi logo was too reminiscent of a [[swastika]] and it was re-designed to look closer to a [[samurai]] warrior's helmet. A {{convert|380|ft|m|adj=mid|-long}} [[matte painting]] provided the city backdrop as viewed from inside the building's 30th floor. It featured animated lights and other lighting techniques to present both moving traffic, daytime and nighttime.<ref name="DevMisc"/>

==Release==
===Context===
{{see also|1988 in film}}
[[File:Die Hard logo.png|thumb|alt=The logo for Die Hard with Bruce Willis's name positioned above|The logo for ''Die Hard'']]
The summer of 1988 was expected by film industry executives to be dominated by action and comedy films, although a broader range of films were released that year.<ref name="NYTimesPreview"/><ref name="NYTImesAssessment"/> More films targeted older audiences rather than teenagers, a reflection of the increasing age of the average audience member.<ref name="NYTImesAssessment"/> Sequels to successful films, ''[[Crocodile Dundee II]]'' and ''[[Rambo III]]'', were predicted to control the May box office and break opening weekend revenue records. Industry executives also had high expectations for the comedies ''[[Coming to America]]'' and ''[[Who Framed Roger Rabbit]]''.<ref name="NYTimesPreview"/>

Expectations for ''Die Hard'' were low compared to its action film competition—the Schwarzenegger-starring ''[[Red Heat (1988 film)|Red Heat]]'' and Clint Eastwood's ''[[The Dead Pool]]''. ''[[The New York Times]]'' noted that ''Die Hard'', and the comedies ''[[Big Top Pee-wee]]'' and ''[[Bull Durham]]'', would be closely scrutinized by the industry for success or failure. ''Die Hard'' was singled out for Willis's salary, and the failure earlier that year of his previous film, the western ''[[Sunset (1988 film)|Sunset]]'', which brought into question his leading man capabilities.<ref name="NYTimesPreview"/> Lawrence Gordon agreed that not using a major action star like Stallone or Eastwood meant audience interest in ''Die Hard'' was lower than it might have been. The larger salaries paid to these stars were based on the built-in audience they could attract to a film's opening week, with good word of mouth supporting the film thereafter, but Willis did not have a built-in audience.<ref name="NYTimesPostRelease"/>

===Marketing===
Willis featured prominently in the film's early marketing campaign, but it underwent several changes as the film's release date drew nearer.<ref name="DevOtherActors"/><ref name="NYTimesPostRelease"/><ref name="LATImesAdvertising"/> Willis had developed a reputation as an "arrogant" actor concerned with his own fame. His refusal to address this, or speak about his personal life to the media, had reinforced this perception. For his part, Willis said that he wanted the media to focus on his acting.<ref name="CloserWillis"/>{{sfn|WillisteinD|1988|p=50 D}} There were reports that cinema audiences would moan at Willis's appearance in ''Die Hard'' trailers, and that a representative from an unnamed theater chain had pulled the trailer in response.<ref name="LATImesAdvertising"/> Research by several film studios revealed that audiences had a negative opinion of Willis overall and little or no interest in seeing him in ''Die Hard''.<ref name="NYTimesPostRelease"/> ''[[Newsweek]]''{{'}}s [[David Ansen]] called Willis "the most unpopular actor ever to get $5{{nbsp}}million for making a movie".<ref name="VultureRetro"/>

As 20th Century Fox's confidence in Willis's appeal faltered, the film's posters were changed to focus on Nakatomi Plaza, with Willis's name billed in tiny print.<ref name="DevOtherActors"/><ref name="LATImesAdvertising"/> Willis's image was not included in the film's first full-page newspaper advertisement in mid-July.<ref name="NYTimesPostRelease"/> 20th Century Fox executive [[Tom Sherak]] denied that Willis was being hidden, saying their marketing strategy had changed when they realized that the building was as important a character as the actor.<ref name="LATImesAdvertising"/> Defying expectations, sneak previews of the film were well received by audiences,<ref name="NYTimesPostRelease"/> and the week following its release, the advertising began featuring Willis more prominently.<ref name="NYTimesPostRelease"/> Despite his dislike of interviews, Willis appeared on several daytime shows to promote the film. Explaining why he was more involved in the promotion for ''Die Hard'', Willis said, "I'm so excited about this film... To me, it represents why I wanted to be an actor."<ref name="CloserWillis"/><ref name="LATImesAdvertising"/>

===Box office===
''Die Hard''{{'}}s premiere took place on July{{nbsp}}12, 1988, at the Avco theater in Los Angeles, California.<ref name="Premiere"/> In North America, the film received a limited release in 21 theaters in 13 cities on July{{nbsp}}15, 1988, earning $601,851—an average of $28,659 per theater.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Daily Variety]]|page=1|title=Fox Pushing 'Hard' Bow Back 2 Weeks|date=May 14, 1990}}</ref> It was considered a successful debut with a high per-theater average gross.<ref name="NYTimesDebut"/> The ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' said that the late change in advertising focus and diminishing popularity for action films should have worked against ''Die Hard''. Instead, positive reviews and the limited release had made it a "must-see" film.<ref name="LATimesDebutWeek"/>

It received a wide release the following week on July{{nbsp}}22, 1988, across 1,276 theaters, and earning $7.1{{nbsp}}million—an average of $5,569 per theater. The film finished as the number three film of the weekend, behind ''Coming to America'' ($8.8{{nbsp}}million)—in its fourth week of release—and ''Who Framed Roger Rabbit'' ($8.9{{nbsp}}million), in its fifth.<ref name="TheNumbersWeekofJuly22"/> The film fell to number four in its third week with a further gross of $6.1{{nbsp}}million, just behind ''Coming to America'' ($6.4{{nbsp}}million), ''Who Framed Roger Rabbit'' ($6.5{{nbsp}}million) and the debuting romantic comedy ''[[Cocktail (1988 film)|Cocktail]]'' ($11.7{{nbsp}}million).<ref name="TheNumbersWeek3"/> In its fourth weekend, it rebounded to the number three position with $5.7{{nbsp}}million.<ref name="TheNumbersOveralL"/> While the film never claimed the number-one box office ranking, it spent ten straight weeks among the top five highest-grossing films.<ref name="VultureRetro"/><ref name="TheNumbersOveralL"/> In total, the film earned an approximate box office gross of between $81.3{{nbsp}}million and $83{{nbsp}}million.<ref name="TheNumbersSummary"/><ref name="BOMWorldwide"/> This made it the seventh-highest-grossing film of 1988, behind ''Crocodile Dundee II'' ($109.3{{nbsp}}million), buddy comedy ''Twins'' ($111.9{{nbsp}}million), fantasy-comedy ''[[Big (film)|Big]]'' ($114.9{{nbsp}}million), ''Coming to America'' ($128.1{{nbsp}}million), ''Who Framed Roger Rabbit'' ($154.1{{nbsp}}million) and comedy-drama ''[[Rain Man]]'' ($172.8{{nbsp}}million).<ref name="TheNumbers1988Domestic"/>

Outside North America, ''Die Hard'' is estimated to have earned $57.7{{nbsp}}million, giving it an approximate cumulative gross of between $139.1{{nbsp}}million and $140.7{{nbsp}}million.<ref name="TheNumbersSummary"/><ref name="BOMWorldwide"/>{{efn|The 1988 box office of $139.1–$140.7{{nbsp}}million is equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|139100000|1988}}}}–${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|140700000|1988}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US-GDP}}.}} This figure makes it the [[1988 in film|tenth-highest-grossing film worldwide of 1988]] behind ''Big'' ($151{{nbsp}}million), ''Cocktail'' ($171{{nbsp}}million), ''[[A Fish Called Wanda]]'' ($177{{nbsp}}million), ''Rambo III'' ($189{{nbsp}}million), ''Twins'' ($216{{nbsp}}million), ''Crocodile Dundee II'' ($239{{nbsp}}million), ''Coming to America'' ($288{{nbsp}}million), ''Who Framed Roger Rabbit'' ($329{{nbsp}}million) and ''Rain Man'' ($354{{nbsp}}million).<ref name="BOMWorldwide"/><ref name="TheNumbersWorldwide"/>{{sfn|Groves|1989|p=11}}{{efn|[[The Numbers (website)|The Numbers]] and [[Box Office Mojo]] provide North American box office figures, but they do not include the international figures for many 1988 films. When failing to take into account the international grosses of some films, ''Die Hard'' is the eighth-highest-grossing film worldwide of 1988. Based on other industry reports in 1988 by ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'', the worldwide grosses of ''[[Cocktail (1988 film)|Cocktail]]'' and ''[[A Fish Called Wanda]]'' were greater than ''Die Hard''{{'}}s, lowering it to the tenth-highest-grossing film overall.<ref name="BOMWorldwide"/><ref name="TheNumbersWorldwide"/>{{sfn|Groves|1989|p=11}}}}

The summer of 1988 saw box office grosses totaling $1.7{{nbsp}}billion, breaking the previous year's record-breaking summer by $100{{nbsp}}million,<ref name="NYTImesAssessment"/> and it was the most successful summer since 1984, when only three films earned more than $100{{nbsp}}million in North America.<ref name="LATimesSummerReview"/> Defying pre-release expectations ''Die Hard'' was considered an enormous success.<ref name=Independent1/><ref name="LATimesSummerReview"/> In a year otherwise dominated by comedy films, ''Die Hard''{{'}}s overperformance was an anomaly compared to other action films such as ''Rambo III'' and ''Red Heat'', which failed to meet box office expectations.<ref name="EbertSeitz"/><ref name="NYTimesComedy"/> Film critic [[Sheila Benson]] believed this demonstrated a generational shift in audiences and their tastes; in particular, 25- to 37-year-old men had turned against alcohol abuse, sexism, and mindless machismo.<ref name="LATimesBenson"/> Along with films like ''Big'' and ''[[Young Guns (film)|Young Guns]]'' (1988), ''Die Hard'' is credited with revitalizing 20th Century Fox, which had had few successes in preceding years. It also showed the action genre was not "dead".<ref name="NYTImesAssessment"/>

==Reception==
===Critical response===
Initial critical reviews of ''Die Hard'' were mixed.<ref name="afi"/> Audiences reacted more positively; polls by the market research firm CinemaScore found that audiences gave it an average rating of "A+" on an {{nowrap|A+ to F}} scale.<ref name="CinemaScore" />

McTiernan's direction was praised.<ref name="ReviewLATimes"/><ref name="ReviewChicagoTribune"/><ref name="ReviewCanby"/> In the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'', [[Dave Kehr]] wrote that McTiernan's "logical" direction created a sense of scale in the film that made it seem more significant than its content.<ref name="ReviewChicagoTribune"/> The scene in which the terrorists take over the building was described as a "textbook study" by [[Kevin Thomas (film critic)|Kevin Thomas]], providing a strong introduction to both McTiernan's abilities and De Bont's cinematography.<ref name="ReviewLATimes"/> De Govia's set design was complimented by Kehr as "ingenious".<ref name="ReviewChicagoTribune"/> Ebert praised the stunts and special effects.<ref name="ReviewRogerEbert"/>

Critics were conflicted over Willis's performance.<ref name="ReviewDesson"/><ref name="ReviewChicagoTribune"/><ref name="ReviewHinson"/> Many considered ''Die Hard'' Willis's breakout role, reviving his faltering transition from television to film star, and demonstrating his leading-man status and comedic range.<ref name="ReviewLATimes"/><ref name="ReviewDesson"/><ref>{{harvnb|Mills|1988|p=5}}; {{harvnb|Denerstein|1988|p=16}}; {{harvnb|Ryan|1988|p=51}}; {{harvnb|WillisteinD2|1988|p=51 D2}}; {{harvnb|Andrews|1988|p=3}}</ref> Kathy Huffhines and James Mills considered Willis's performance an evolution of his ''Moonlighting'' character David Addison with less sexism and more masculinity. Huffhines wrote that the performance improved as Willis hewed closer to his own working-class background.{{sfn|Mills|1988|p=5}}{{sfn|Huffhines|1988|p=22 }}{{sfn|Cidoni|1988|p=3D}} Reviewers including Terry Lawson and Paul Willistein believed that despite expectations, Willis had been well cast, bringing a necessary vulnerability and sense of humor to a contemporary hero; one who displays remorse, fear, and indecision without being overly macho or comedic, and delivers dialogue that other action stars could not.<ref>{{harvnb|Denerstein|1988|p=16}}; {{harvnb|Ryan|1988|p=51}}; {{harvnb|WillisteinD2|1988|p=51 D2}}; {{harvnb|Cidoni|1988|p=3D}}; {{harvnb|Lawson|1988|p=32 8C}}; {{harvnb|Boyar|1988|pp=47,51}}</ref> Marke Andrews argued that this vulnerability was essential to creating tension because audiences care about the character's fate.{{sfn|Andrews|1988|p=3}} Some reviewers felt that Willis's strongest talent—his comedic ability—had been woefully underutilized.<ref name="ReviewHinson"/><ref name="RevVariety"/>

Writing for ''[[The Washington Post]]'', [[Hal Hinson]] complimented Willis's "grace and physical bravado" that allowed him to stand alongside the likes of Stallone and Schwarzenegger. Conversely [[Vincent Canby]] said he lacked "toughness".<ref name="ReviewCanby"/><ref name="ReviewHinson" /> Reviewers generally agreed that Willis's dramatic acting was unimpressive or limited; Jay Boyar believed his abilities were perfect for McClane, although Kehr criticized him as only a television-level star.<ref name="ReviewChicagoTribune"/>{{sfn|Ryan|1988|p=51}}{{sfn|Boyar|1988|pp=47,51}} [[Richard Schickel]] said Willis's performance was "whiny and self-involved", and that removing his undershirt by the film's denouement was the totality of his acting range. He acknowledged it was difficult to perform when acting only against special effects.<ref name="ReviewSchickel"/>

Rickman's performance was praised.{{efn|Attributed to multiple references:<ref name="ReviewChicagoTribune"/><ref name="ReviewHinson"/>{{sfn|Huffhines|1988|p=22 }}{{sfn|Ringel|1988|p=189,195,195}}}} [[Caryn James]] said he was the film's best feature, portraying "the perfect snake",<ref name="ReviewNYT"/> and Hinson likened his work to the "sneering", malevolent performance by [[Laurence Olivier]] in ''[[Richard III (1955 film)|Richard III]]'' (1955).<ref name="ReviewHinson"/> Kehr called Gruber a classic villain who combined the silliness of actor [[Claude Rains]] and the "smiling dementia" of actor [[George Macready]].<ref name="ReviewChicagoTribune"/> Canby said that Rickman provided the only credible performance, and [[Roger Ebert]]—who was otherwise critical of the film—singled it out for praise.<ref name="ReviewRogerEbert"/> Critics routinely praised Bedelia's performance and lamented that she was underused, in favor of McClane's and Powell's relationship.{{efn|Attributed to multiple references:<ref name="ReviewHinson"/>{{sfn|Huffhines|1988|p=22 }}{{sfn|Cidoni|1988|p=3D}}{{sfn|Lawson|1988|p=32 8C}}}} Schickel highlighted a scene in which McClane confesses his sins to Powell before rescuing his wife, robbing their marital reunion of meaning.<ref name="ReviewSchickel"/> Ebert and Schickel both felt that only McClane's and Powell's characters were developed.<ref name="ReviewHinson"/><ref name="ReviewSchickel"/> The film's success was credited to the remote relationships built between Willis, Rickman, and Veljohnson, by Mike Cidoni.{{sfn|Cidoni|1988|p=3D}} Huffhines and Mills credited the performances with anchoring the film.{{sfn|Mills|1988|p=5}}{{sfn|WillisteinD2|1988|p=51 D2}}{{sfn|Huffhines|1988|p=22 }} Ebert focused his criticism on the police captain (portrayed by Gleason), citing the character as an example of a "willfully useless and dumb" obstruction that wasted screen time and weakened the plot.<ref name="ReviewRogerEbert"/> Thomas commended the casting of several minority actors.<ref name="ReviewLATimes"/>

The action and violence were criticized by many reviewers.{{efn|Attributed to multiple references:<ref name="ReviewLATimes" /><ref name="ReviewNYT" /><ref name="ReviewCanby" /><ref name="ReviewSchickel" />}} Kevin Thomas said the film had [[plot hole]]s and lacked credibility. He believed it was the result of a calculated effort to please the broadest possible audience, and concluded that it had squandered its potential as an intelligent thriller for "numbing" violence and carnage.<ref name="ReviewLATimes" /> Canby offered a similar sentiment, suggesting the film would appeal only to audiences that required a constant stream of explosions and loud noises. He described it as a "nearly perfect movie for our time", designed to appeal to audiences Canby described as "kidults"—adults with the mindset of children.<ref name="ReviewCanby" /> One violent scene, in which Powell saves McClane by shooting Karl, was singled out. Schickel believed it to be a cynical scene that undermined the humanity formed between McClane and Powell, by having Powell find redemption for his own mistakes through violence. Hinson believed the audience was deliberately manipulated into cheering for the act.<ref name="ReviewLATimes" /><ref name="ReviewHinson" /><ref name="ReviewSchickel" /> Writing for ''The New York Times'', James said the film offered fun escapism while relying on action clichés, but Hinson countered that despite the relentless thrills, the film was not enjoyable.<ref name="ReviewHinson" />

Reviews identified allusions in ''Die Hard'' to films such as ''The Towering Inferno'' and ''[[The Poseidon Adventure (1972 film)|The Poseidon Adventure]]'' (1972), ''[[Alien (film)|Alien]]'' (1979), ''Aliens'', and ''[[RoboCop]]'' (1987).{{efn|Attributed to multiple references:<ref name="ReviewChicagoTribune" />{{sfn|Mills|1988|p=5}}{{sfn|WillisteinD2|1988|p=51 D2}}{{sfn|Cidoni|1988|p=3D}}}} Kehr said ''Die Hard'' emulated ''Alien'' and ''RoboCop'' by developing a humorous and sentimental design that perfected the action genre, but in doing so it lacked a personality of its own.<ref name="ReviewChicagoTribune" /> Writing for the ''[[Poughkeepsie Journal]]'', Cidoni felt ''Die Hard'' made previous action blockbusters such as ''Predator'', ''[[Missing in Action (film)|Missing in Action]]'' (1984), and ''Rambo'' look like "[[tupperware parties]]".{{sfn|Cidoni|1988|p=3D}}

''Die Hard'' was one of several 1988 films labeled "morally objectionable" by the [[Roman Catholic Church]], along with ''[[The Last Temptation of Christ (film)|The Last Temptation of Christ]]'', ''Bull Durham'' and ''A Fish Called Wanda''.<ref name="NYTimesCatholic"/> Robert Davi saw the film with Schwarzenegger; Schwarzenegger was positive, but did not like Davi's character narrative, saying, "You were heroic! And now you've turned into an idiot!"<ref name="VultureTidbits"/>

===Accolades===
[[File:Bruce Willis 1989.jpg|thumb|alt=Portrait of Bruce Willis looking to his right |[[Bruce Willis]] in 1989 at the [[61st Academy Awards]]]]
At the [[61st Academy Awards|1989 Academy Awards]], ''Die Hard'' was nominated for [[Academy Award for Best Film Editing|Best Film Editing]] for Frank J. Urioste and John F. Link; [[Academy Award for Best Visual Effects|Best Visual Effects]] for Richard Edlund, [[Al DiSarro]], [[Brent Boates]] and [[Thaine Morris]]; [[Academy Award for Best Sound Editing|Best Sound Effects Editing]] for [[Stephen Hunter Flick]] and [[Richard Shorr]]; and [[Academy Award for Best Sound|Best Sound]] for [[Don Bassman|Don J. Bassman]], [[Kevin F. Cleary]], [[Richard Overton (sound engineer)|Richard Overton]] and [[Al Overton Jr.]]<ref name="Oscars1989"/> Michael Kamen won a [[BMI Awards|BMI TV/Film Music Award]] for his work on the score.<ref name="AccoBMI"/>

==Post-release==
===Home media===
''Die Hard'' was released on [[Video Home System]] (VHS) cassette in January 1989.<ref name="NYTimesVHS"/> It was a popular rental, debuting as the third-most rented film on the early February rental charts, rising to number one the following week.<ref name="LATimesSixWeeks"/><ref name="LATIMESVHSWeek1"/><ref name="LATIMESVHSWeek2"/><ref name="NYTimesRental"/> It spent six of its first seven weeks in release at number one until it was replaced by ''A Fish Called Wanda'' at the end of March.<ref name="LATimesSixWeeks"/><ref name="LATimesWanda"/> By 1997, it was estimated to have earned $36{{nbsp}}million from rentals.<ref name="VarietyRentals"/>

''Die Hard'' was released on [[DVD-Video|DVD]] in 1999 as part of a collection with its sequels ''[[Die Hard&nbsp;2]]'' (1990) and ''[[Die Hard with a Vengeance]]'' (1995).<ref name="HomeMediaChicago"/><ref name="HomeMedianNYTimes"/> It was released separately as a special edition DVD in 2001, including commentary by McTiernan, De Govia, and Edlund, and deleted scenes, trailers and behind-the-scenes images.<ref name="HomeMediaIGN"/><ref name="HomeMediaBBC"/> It was released on [[Blu-ray]] in 2007.<ref name="HomeMediaengaget"/> ''Die Hard: The Nakatomi Plaza Collection'' was released in 2015, collecting all five ''Die Hard'' films on Blu-ray in a container shaped like Nakatomi Plaza.<ref name="HomeMediaEbert"/> For its 30th anniversary in 2018, a remastered [[4K resolution]] version was released on [[Ultra HD Blu-ray]]; the set also includes a standard Blu-ray and digital download. A limited-edition [[SteelBook]] case version was also released.<ref name="HomeMediaSound"/>

===Other media===
{{see also|Die Hard (film series)#Video games|l1=Die Hard ''video games''}}
''Die Hard'' merchandise includes clothing, [[Funko Pop]]s, coloring and activity books, crockery, [[Christmas jumper]]s and ornaments, and an illustrated Christmas book retelling the film.<ref name="ScreenRantMerch"/> A third-person shooter video game, ''[[Die Hard (video game)|Die Hard]]'', was released in 1989 for the [[Commodore 64]] and [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]. Different top-down shooter versions were released for the [[TurboGrafx-16]] and the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] (NES). The TurboGrafx-16 edition begins with McClane fighting terrorists in a jungle; the NES version offers a "foot meter" that slows McClane's movements after he repeatedly steps on shattered glass.<ref name="VideoGameRevolut"/><ref name="VideoGameHardCore"/>

''[[Die Hard Trilogy]]'' (1996), a popular game for the [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]], adapted the first three ''Die Hard'' films.<ref name="VideoGameVice"/><ref name="VideoGameEuro"/> In 1997, the Japanese [[arcade game]] ''Dynamite Deka'' was redesigned and released in western territories as ''[[Die Hard Arcade]]''. Players choose either McClane or secondary character Chris Thompsen to battle through Nakatomi Plaza, defeat terrorists led by White Fang, and rescue the President's daughter.<ref name="VideoGameRevolut"/><ref name="VideoGameVB"/> Two first-person shooters were released in 2002: ''[[Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza]]'', which recreates the events of ''Die Hard'', and ''[[Die Hard: Vendetta]]'', which serves as a narrative sequel to the film, pitting McClane against Gruber's son Piet.<ref name="VideoGameRevolut"/><ref name="VideoGameVice"/><ref name="VideoGameVB"/>

''Die Hard: The Ultimate Visual History''—a book chronicling the development of the ''Die Hard'' film series—was released in 2018 to coincide with the film's 30th anniversary.<ref name="MerchBook"/> A board game based on the film was released in 2019. Developed by [[USAopoly]], ''Die Hard: The Nakatomi Heist'' casts up to four players as McClane, Gruber, and his terrorists, each vying to complete their opposing tasks.<ref name="BoardGamePolygon"/><ref name="BoardGameAVClub"/>

==Thematic analysis==
[[File:Lancrenon Ulysse.jpg|thumb|alt=A painting of Odysseus and Telemachus preparing to slaughter the suitors of Odysseus's wife Penelope|An 1812 painting by {{ill|Joseph-Ferdinand Lancrenon|fr}} of [[Odysseus]], aided by [[Telemachus]], preparing to slaughter [[Suitors of Penelope|his wife's suitors]]. Alexander Boon compared Odysseus's tale to John McClane's quest to rescue his wife from the terrorists.]]
''Die Hard'' has been described by critics such as [[Richard Brody]] and Chris Hewitt as a story about obtaining redemption through violence. McClane comes to Los Angeles to save his marriage, but makes the same mistakes that drove Holly away; Brody and Hewitt suggest that it is only after McClane defeats the terrorists through violence that their marriage is seemingly reconciled.<ref name="NewYorkerThemes"/><ref name="EmpireRetro"/> Similarly, Powell is haunted after accidentally shooting a child and finds redemption by drawing his gun to shoot Karl.<ref name="NewYorkerThemes"/> Several male characters who are driven by rage or ego suffer for it including the FBI agents, Karl, Ellis, and McClane who nearly loses Holly by showing off after shooting Gruber. Ebert notes the more even-tempered characters—often African American—fare better.<ref name="EbertSeitz"/> McClane identifies himself as a Roman Catholic, a religion requiring penance to earn redemption. Brody said that McClane endures physical punishment, including his feet being cut by glass shards to create bloody "[[stigmata]]". In making these sacrifices, he salvages his family. In this sense, McClane can be seen as a modern, working-class [[Jesus|Christ]]-like figure.<ref name="NewYorkerThemes"/>

Alexander Boon compares McClane violently reclaiming his wife to the Greek figure [[Odysseus]] slaughtering [[Suitors of Penelope|his wife's suitors]]. McClane is rewarded for his masculinity, despite demonstrating negative male traits.{{sfn|Boon|2005}} Jeffrey Brown believed McClane's undershirt emphasizes his masculine physical form. This outfit is worn by other action characters like Rambo, and female characters displaying masculine traits such as [[Rachel McLish]] (''[[Aces: Iron Eagle III]]'') and [[Linda Hamilton]] (''[[Terminator 2: Judgment Day]]'').{{sfn|Brown|1996|p=63–64}} Powell and Argyle are not McClane's physical equals but they prioritize relationships, and when called on to act, they succeed.{{sfn|Abele|2002|p=449}} McClane possesses an imposing physicality but is clumsy and reliant on improvisation, and succeeds only because of the relationships with his allies.{{sfn|Abele|2002|p=449}} It is McClane and Powell's relationship that is particularly instrumental to McClane's success. The pair share a non-romantic intimacy that enables McClane to confess his failings as a husband in a way he did not with Holly, allowing McClane to grow as a person.{{sfn|Sandell|1996|pp=28–29}}{{sfn|Parshall|1991}}{{sfn|Lucas|1996|p=52}} Gruber fails because he is isolated, self-interested, and sacrifices his team for his own survival.{{sfn|Parshall|1991}}

Peter Parshall observed that McClane and Gruber are reflections of each other.{{sfn|Parshall|1991}} Brody contrasts McClane—an all-American stereotype compared to Western cowboy stars like Roy Rogers, John Wayne and [[Gary Cooper]]—to Gruber, a classically educated, European villain who refers to America as a "bankrupt" culture.<ref name="NewYorkerThemes"/><ref name="EmpireRetro"/> Elizabeth Abele wrote that when compared to the superheroes of the previous decade in films like ''[[Superman (1978 film)|Superman]]'' (1978) and ''[[Raiders of the Lost Ark]]'' (1981), McClane is portrayed as physically but realistically masculine, conveying the idea of a "real man" who possesses independent, intrinsic strength.{{sfn|Abele|2002|p=448}} According to Justin Chang and Mark Olsen, this can be seen as a response to [[Reaganism]]—the political positions of United States president [[Ronald Reagan]]—promoting values of the [[American dream]], self-reliance, initiative, and technological advancement.<ref name="LATimesHoldUp"/>{{sfn|Crowe|2011|p=15–16}}

Willis believes that if given the choice, McClane would pass the responsibility of dealing with the terrorists onto anyone else, but he is ultimately compelled to serve as a reluctant hero.<ref name=Independent1/> When the character is introduced, he is wearing his wedding ring. Scott Tobias wrote this serves as a symbol of his marital commitment. Holly is presented as the opposite; she uses her maiden name and is not wearing her wedding ring. Instead, she is gifted a [[Rolex]] watch by her employers, serving as a symbol of her commitment to her job and the division in her marriage. When McClane unclasps the watch at the film's end to free Holly from Gruber's grasp, the totem of their separation is broken, and they appear to have reconciled.{{sfn|Lucas|1996|p=52}}<ref name="TheGuardianThemes"/>

Parshall describes the negative portrayals of female characters in ''Die Hard''. They appear sexualized in [[Pin-up model|pin-up posters]], suggest drinking while pregnant, or are away from their families on Christmas Eve at a work function. Holly takes a position of authority following her boss's death, but that power is delegated to her by Gruber, and it is used in traditionally feminine ways, to care for her colleagues. Takagi is replaced in Holly's life with a different dominant male, McClane.{{sfn|Parshall|1991}} Darin Payne wrote that ''Die Hard'' reflects the contemporary decline of men as the main household earner as more women joined the workforce and [[Blue-collar worker|blue-collar]] jobs were being lost to foreign countries. In response, an American cowboy saves the day, rescuing his captured wife from a foreign-owned tower.{{sfn|Payne|2017|p=109}}

''Die Hard'' has elements that are anti-government, anti-bureaucracy and anti-corporation.<ref name="NewYorkerThemes"/><ref name="EmpireRetro"/><ref name="VanityFairat30"/> A terrorist asserts McClane cannot harm him because there are rules for policemen, rules he intends to exploit. McClane responds "so my captain keeps telling me", suggesting that he operates outside of bureaucratically approved procedures.<ref name="NewYorkerThemes"/><ref name="VanityFairat30"/> Brody wrote that the police often present a bigger obstacle than the terrorists. They believe they are in control of events, unaware the terrorists have already anticipated their every action.<ref name="NewYorkerThemes"/> The police chief is portrayed as incompetent, and the FBI is shown to be indifferent to the lives of the hostages as long as they kill the terrorists.<ref name="NewYorkerThemes"/><ref name="PopMatters"/> McClane is an everyman fighting against terrorists who are dressed like elite big-city workers.<ref name="EmpireRetro"/> As Ellis states, the only difference between the corporate employees and the terrorists is that he uses a pen and Gruber uses a gun.{{sfn|Parshall|1991}} The police, the FBI, and an intrusive journalist are each punished for standing in McClane's way.<ref name="EmpireRetro"/> Parshall noted the Christmas setting can be seen as an attack on traditional societal values. The corporation hosts a party on Christmas Eve, keeping employees away from their families, and the villains cynically appropriate Christmas iconographies. By defeating them, McClane upholds tradition and defends society.{{sfn|Parshall|1991}}

Alongside the mainly German group of terrorists, Nakatomi Plaza is owned by a Japanese corporation, and the hostages are American.<ref name="NewYorkerThemes"/>{{sfn|Payne|2017|p=109}}{{sfn|Shivers|1995|p=16}} Brody identified this as reflecting American anxieties about foreign powers at a time when Japanese technology firms threatened to dominate the American technology industry.<ref name="NewYorkerThemes"/>{{sfn|Crowe|2011|p=15–16}}{{sfn|Payne|2017|p=109}} When McClane prevails, the suggestion is that American ingenuity will prevail.{{sfn|Shivers|1995|p=16}} America's old enemies, Germany and Japan, are portrayed as having forsaken their integrity in the pursuit of financial gain.<ref name="ReviewCanby"/> Dave Kehr said the film embodies a resentful 1980s "blue-collar rage" against feminists, [[yuppie]]s, the media, the authorities and foreign nationals.<ref name="ReviewChicagoTribune"/> Brody notes that the film can also be considered progressive in its portrayal of its African American characters, as cast members VelJohnson, Gilyard, and White are featured in prominent and important roles.<ref name="NewYorkerThemes"/>

''The A.V. Club'' noted that unlike many other 1980s films, ''Die Hard'' is not an allegory for the [[Vietnam War]]. The film mocks the idea when one FBI agent remarks that their helicopter assault is reminiscent of the war; his partner responds that at the time he was only in [[middle school]].<ref name="AVClubRetro"/> Even so, ''[[Empire (film magazine)|Empire]]'' believed the film references Vietnam by showcasing an ill-equipped local taking on highly equipped foreign invaders; this time America wins.<ref name="EmpireRetro"/> Drew Ayers described the complex layout of Nakatomi Plaza as analogous to the concealing jungles of Vietnam.{{sfn|Ayers|2008|p=53}}

==Legacy==
=== Influence on the film industry ===
[[File:Foxstudiosentrance.jpg|thumb|alt=Entrance to the studio lot of 20th Century Fox in Century City, California | The entrance of the Fox Studio Lot in [[Century City]], where a giant mural of John McClane crawling through a vent was erected as part of the film's 25th-anniversary celebration in 2013]]
Before ''Die Hard''{{'}}s release, Hollywood action films often starred muscle-bound men like Schwarzenegger and Stallone, who portrayed invincible, infallible, catchphrase-spouting heroes in unrealistic settings. Willis's portrayal of John McClane redefined the action genre, presenting a normal person with an average physique completely counter to that archetype. He is failing, both personally and professionally, and serves as a vulnerable, identifiable hero who openly sobs, admits his fear of death, and sustains lasting damage. Importantly, his one-liners do not come from a place of superiority over his foes, but as a nervous reaction to the extreme situation in which he finds himself, which he is able to overcome only through enduring suffering and using his own initiative.<ref name=Independent1/><ref name="EmpireRetro"/><ref name="AVNovel"/><ref name="AVClubRetro"/>

Similarly, Rickman's portrayal of Gruber redefined action villains who had previously been bland figures or eccentric madmen. Gruber ushered in the clever nemesis; he is an educated, intelligent villain, who serves as the antithesis of the hero.<ref name="EmpireRetro"/> He has been referred to as one of the most iconic villains in the genre.<ref name="AVClubRetro"/> ''Empire'' magazine called Gruber one of the finest villains since [[Darth Vader]]. Rickman described the role as a "huge event" in his life.<ref name="EmpireRetro"/> Though other more typical 1980s-style action films were released, the genre gradually shifted to a focus on smaller, more confined settings, everyman heroes, and charming villains with competent plans.<ref name="AVClubRetro"/>

''Die Hard'' raised Willis from television stardom to worldwide recognition and brought fame to Rickman.<ref name=Independent1/> Willis's salary was seen as the peak of the 1980s bidding wars between new and old managers vying for jobs. ''The New York Times'' described it as the salary equivalent of an "earthquake" and [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer|MGM/UA]] chairman [[Alan Ladd Jr.]] said that it threw "the business out of whack ... like everybody else in town, I was stunned." It was seen as the most substantial change to salaries since Dustin Hoffman was paid $5.5{{nbsp}}million to star in ''[[Tootsie]]'' (1982) at a time when top salaries ranged from $2{{nbsp}}million–$3{{nbsp}}million. It was expected that salaries for major stars would increase significantly to ensure they were paid more than a newer star like Willis.<ref name="NYTimesSalaryAftermath"/><ref name="LATimesSalaryAftermath"/> McTiernan transitioned his success into directing an adaptation of one of his favorite novels, ''[[The Hunt for Red October (film)|The Hunt for Red October]]'' (1990).<ref name="NYTimesMcTiernan"/> VelJohnson's performance resulted in his casting in the 1989–1998 sitcom ''[[Family Matters]]''.<ref name="SlashFilmVelJohnson"/>

===Cultural influence===
In 2017, ''Die Hard'' was selected by the United States [[Library of Congress]] to be preserved in the [[National Film Registry]] for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".<ref name="NationalFilmRegistry"/><ref name="LOC"/> In July 2007, Bruce Willis donated the undershirt worn in the film to the [[National Museum of American History]] at the [[Smithsonian Institution]].<ref name="Smithsonian"/> The blood and sweat-stained shirt is considered iconic, an emblem of McClane's difference from archetypal, invincible heroes.<ref name=Independent1/> Fox Plaza has become a popular tourist attraction, although the building itself cannot be toured.<ref name="Gizmodo"/> A floor used for filming became Ronald Reagan's office. When his head of staff toured the under-construction area, it was littered with broken glass and cartridge cases.<ref name="THRReagan"/> A giant mural depicting McClane's crawl through a Nakatomi Plaza vent was erected at the Fox Studio lot in Century City to celebrate the film's 25th anniversary in 2013.<ref name="USATOdayPopCulture"/>

One of the most influential films of the 1980s, ''Die Hard'' served as the blueprint for action films that came after, especially throughout the 1990s.<ref name="TheGuardianThemes"/> The term "''Die Hard'' on/in a..." has become shorthand to describe a lone, everyman hero who must overcome an overwhelming opposing force in a relatively small and confined location.<ref name=Independent1/><ref name="TheGuardianThemes"/> Examples include: ''[[Under Siege]]'' (1992, "''Die Hard'' on a battleship"); ''[[Cliffhanger (1993 film)|Cliffhanger]]'' (1993, "''Die Hard'' on a mountain"); ''[[Speed (1994 film)|Speed]]'' (1994, "''Die Hard'' on a bus"); and ''[[Con Air]]'' or ''[[Air Force One (film)|Air Force One]]'' (1997, "''Die Hard'' on a plane").<ref name=Independent1/><ref name="TheGuardianThemes"/><ref name="AVClubRetro"/> Willis himself recalled being pitched a film that was "''Die Hard'' in a skyscraper". He said he was sure it had already been done.<ref name=Independent1/> It was not until the 1996 action-thriller film ''[[The Rock (film)|The Rock]]'' ("''Die Hard'' on [[Alcatraz Island]]"), that the tone of action films changed significantly, and the increasing use of CGI effects allowed films to move beyond the limitations of real locations and practical stunts. Writing for ''[[The Guardian]]'' in 2018, Scott Tobias observed that none of these later films readily captured the complete effectiveness of the ''Die Hard'' story.<ref name="TheGuardianThemes"/>

The film has been a source of inspiration for filmmakers including: [[Lexi Alexander]], [[Darren Aronofsky]], [[Brad Bird]], [[Joe Carnahan]], [[Gareth Evans (director)|Gareth Evans]], [[Barry Jenkins]], [[Joe Lynch (director)|Joe Lynch]], [[Paul Scheer]], [[Brian Taylor (filmmaker)|Brian Taylor]], [[Dan Trachtenberg]], [[Colin Trevorrow]], and [[Paul W. S. Anderson]].<ref name="SlashFilmDirectors"/><ref name="BarryJenkins"/><ref name="RollingStoneBird"/> During the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], it was among the action films director [[James Gunn]] recommended people watch.<ref name="IGNGunn"/> The film's popularity has seen it referenced across a wide variety of media, including TV shows, films; video games; music; and novels. It has even been referenced in media targeted at children.<ref name="USATOdayPopCulture"/><ref name="PopCultureNovels"/> Willis cameos as McClane in the 1993 parody film ''[[Loaded Weapon 1]]''.<ref name="VarietyLoaded"/>

There has been much debate over whether ''Die Hard'' is a [[Christmas film]]. Those in favor argue that the Christmas setting is sufficient to qualify it as a Christmas film. Those opposed argue that it is an action film whose events happen to take place at Christmas.<ref name="BBC3Xmas"/><ref name="CBCChristmas"/> A 2017 [[YouGov]] poll of more than 5,000 British citizens determined that only 31% believed that ''Die Hard'' is a Christmas film; those who did skewed under the age of 24, while those opposed were mainly over 50.<ref name="YouGovPoll"/><ref name="YouGovIndependent"/> A similar 2018 [[Morning Consult]] poll of 2,200 American citizens determined that only 25% supported its status as a Christmas film. Those aged between 30 and 44, who were young during the peak of the film's popularity, were most in favor.<ref name="MorningCall"/> De Souza and Stuart support it being a Christmas film, while Willis feels it is not.<ref name="CastNewman"/><ref name="IndependentXmas"/><ref name="EWXmas"/><ref name="WaPoXmas"/> On the film's 30th anniversary in 2018, 20th Century Fox stated that it was "the greatest Christmas story ever told", releasing a re-edited ''Die Hard'' trailer that portrays it as a traditional Christmas film. According to De Souza, Silver predicted the film would be played at [[Christmas and holiday season|Christmastime]] for years.<ref name="WaPoXmas"/><ref name="RadioTimesXmas"/><ref name="ObserverXmas"/>

===Critical reassessment===
''Die Hard'' is now considered one of the greatest action films ever made.<ref name="Empire500"/><ref name="IGNTopACtion"/><ref name="EWTopAction"/> On the film's 30th-anniversary in 2018, ''The Hollywood Reporter'' wrote that ''Die Hard'' was easily one of the most influential films in the action genre, whose influence could still be seen in contemporary films.<ref name="THR2018Retrospective"/> ''The Guardian'' and the [[British Film Institute]] regard it as the "quintessential" American action film, the latter calling it one of the ten greatest action films of all time.<ref name="ActionBFI"/><ref name="TheGuardianThemes"/> ''[[Deadline Hollywood]]'' labeled it a staple of the action genre, that launched a "classic" franchise.<ref name="DeadlineClassic"/> Writing for ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]'', K. Austin Collins said that despite the number of times he had viewed the film, it remained a persistently satisfying and well-crafted piece.<ref name="VanityFairat30"/> It is listed in the 2003 film reference book ''[[1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die]]'', which says that the film "...effectively redefines the action movie as one-man-army."{{sfn|Schneider|2013}}

A retrospective review by ''[[The A.V. Club]]'' said that Willis's everyman persona is key to the film's success.<ref name="AVClubRetro"/> Rickman said he believed it had continued to find fans decades after its release because it was delivered with wit and style.<ref name=Independent1/> Contemporary review aggregator [[Rotten Tomatoes]] offers a {{RT data|score}} approval rating from the aggregated reviews of {{RT data|count}} critics, with an average rating of {{RT data|average}}. The consensus reads, "Its many imitators (and sequels) have never come close to matching the taut thrills of the definitive holiday action classic."<ref name="RottenTomatoes"/> The film also has a score of 72 out of 100 on [[Metacritic]] based on 14 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.<ref name="Metacritic"/> Readers of ''Rolling Stone'' ranked it the number ten action film of all time in a 2015 poll,<ref name="ReaderVoteRollingStone"/> while ''Empire'' readers voted it number 20 in 2017.<ref name="ReadersEmpire"/>

In 2001, the [[American Film Institute]] (AFI) ranked ''Die Hard'' number 39 on its [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Thrills|100 Years... 100 Thrills]] list recognizing the most "heart-pounding" films.<ref name="AFI100Thrills"/> In 2008, ''Empire'' ranked it number 29 on its list of the 500 Greatest Movies of all Time.<ref name="Empire500"/> In 2014, ''The Hollywood Reporter''{{'}}s entertainment industry-voted ranking named it the eighty-third-best film of all time.<ref name="THRJun14"/> The film's characters have also been recognized. In 2003, the AFI ranked Hans Gruber number 46 on its [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains|100 Years... 100 Heroes and Villains]] list.<ref name="AFI100HeroesVill"/> In 2006, ''Empire'' ranked McClane number 12 on its list of its '100 Greatest Movie Characters'; Gruber followed at number 17.<ref name="LegacyEmpire"/><ref name="Empire100McClane"/>

Several publications have listed it as one of the greatest action films of all time, including: number one by ''Empire'',<ref name="EmpireBestAction2016"/> ''[[IGN]]''<ref name="IGNTopACtion"/> and ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'';<ref name="EWTopAction"/> number 10 by ''[[Time Out New York]]'';<ref name="ActionTimeOut"/> number 14 by ''The Guardian'';<ref name="ActionGuardian"/> number 18 by ''[[Men's Health]]''<ref name="ActionMensHealth"/> and unranked by ''[[Complex Networks|Complex]]'',<ref name="ActionComplex"/> ''[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]]''<ref name="ActionEsquire"/> and ''[[Evening Standard]]''.<ref name="ActionStandard"/> Adding to the debate over ''Die Hard''{{'}}s status as a Christmas film, it has appeared on several lists of the top holiday films, including at number one by ''Empire''<ref name="LegacyEmpireXmas"/> and ''[[San Francisco Gate]]'',<ref name="LegacySFGate"/> number four by ''Entertainment Weekly''<ref name="LegacyEW"/> and ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'',<ref name="LegacyTHR"/> number five by [[Digital Spy]],<ref name="LegacyDigitalSpy"/> and number eight in a ''[[Radio Times]]'' readers' poll.<ref name="LegacyGuardian"/>

==Sequels==
{{main|Die Hard (film series)}}
[[File:SDCC 2015 - Jeremy Irons (19524092720).jpg|left|thumb|alt=Jeremy Irons seated at a table in front of a microphone with his arms crossed | [[Jeremy Irons]] (pictured 2015) portrayed Hans Gruber's brother Simon in 1995's ''[[Die Hard with a Vengeance]]''.]]
The success of ''Die Hard'' spawned four film sequels, beginning with ''Die Hard{{nbsp}}2'' in 1990, which was rushed into production to capitalize on the original's popularity.<ref name="AVClubRetro"/><ref name="DOGSequels"/> Stuart and McTiernan did not return for the film; McTiernan was replaced by [[Renny Harlin]].<ref name="DOGSequels"/> ''Die Hard{{nbsp}}2'' is the last film in the series to feature the involvement of De Souza, Bedelia, VelJohnson, Atherton, Silver, and Gordon. Silver and Gordon fell out with each other and Willis after filming concluded, delaying the production of a third film—''Die Hard with a Vengeance'' (1995).<ref name="DOGSequels"/><ref name="DOGLookingBack"/><ref name="LATimesDieHard3"/> This sequel also took longer to develop because of the difficulty in scripting an original scenario that had not already been used by one of ''Die Hard''{{'}}s many imitators.<ref name="DOGSequels"/><ref name="LATimesDieHard3"/> McTiernan returned to direct ''Die Hard with a Vengeance'', his only other film in the series.<ref name="AVClubRetro"/> The film's plot pits McClane against Hans Gruber's brother, Simon ([[Jeremy Irons]]).<ref name="DOGSequels"/>

''[[Live Free or Die Hard]]''—also known as ''Die Hard 4.0''—was released in 2007. In it, McClane teams up with a hacker ([[Justin Long]]) to fight cyber terrorists led by Thomas Gabriel ([[Timothy Olyphant]]).<ref name="DOGRankings"/><ref name="SequelsScreenRant"/> The film was controversial for its studio-mandate to target younger audiences, requiring much of the violence and profanity prevalent in the rest of the series to be excluded.<ref name="SequelsScreenRant"/> Even so, it was financially and critically successful.<ref name="DOGGoodday"/> The fifth film in the series, ''[[A Good Day to Die Hard]]'' (2013), teams McClane up with his son Jack for an adventure in Moscow. The film was considered a financial success.<ref name="DOGGoodday"/><ref name="BOMGOODAY"/> It was derided by critics and fans, and the negative reception stalled the franchise. ''A Good Day to Die Hard'' is considered the weakest entry in the series.<ref name="DOGRankings"/><ref name="SequelsScreenRant"/><ref name="RTGoodday"/> Although Willis expressed interest in a sixth and final film, plans for a prequel film were cancelled following the [[acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney]] in 2019, and Willis retired from acting in 2022, after being diagnosed with [[aphasia]], a condition which affects his ability to communicate.<ref name="DOGSequels"/><ref name="PolyGonSequel"/><ref name="GuardianSequels"/>

''Die Hard'' remains the most critically acclaimed film in the series based on aggregated reviews.<ref name="RTSequels"/> As the sequels progressed, they increasingly hewed closer to the 1980s-style action films ''Die Hard'' had eschewed, McClane becoming an invincible killing machine surviving damage that would have killed his original incarnation.<ref name="AVNovel"/><ref name="EsquireSequels"/> [[NPR]] called ''Die Hard'' a "genuinely great" movie whose legacy has been tarnished by lackluster sequels.<ref name="SequelsNPR"/> According to ''The Guardian'', the evolution of the action genre can be tracked by the differences in each ''Die Hard'' sequel, as McClane evolves from human into a superhuman.<ref name="TheGuardianThemes"/> A comic book prequel and sequel have been released: ''[[Die Hard: Year One]]'' is set in 1976 and chronicles McClane as a rookie officer; ''A Million Ways to Die Hard'' is set 30 years after ''Die Hard'', and features a retired McClane seeking out a serial killer.<ref name="ComicYearOne"/><ref name="ComicMillion"/>
{{Clear}}

==References==
===Notes===
{{Notelist}}

===Citations===
{{Reflist|refs=

<ref name="ActionBFI">{{cite web|first=Matthew |last=Thrift |title=10 Best Action Movies |url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/lists/10-best-action-movies |date=July 2, 2015 |publisher=[[British Film Institute]] |access-date=June 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191031073527/https://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/lists/10-best-action-movies |archive-date=October 31, 2019 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name="AccoBMI">{{cite web|url=http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/20031119_bmi_mourns_loss_of_composer_michael_kamen |title=BMI Mourns Loss Of Composer Michael Kamen |publisher=[[Broadcast Music, Inc.]] |date=November 18, 2003 |access-date=July 8, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131209183104/http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/20031119_bmi_mourns_loss_of_composer_michael_kamen |archive-date=December 9, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="ActionComplex">{{cite web |title=The Best Action Movies Of All Time |url=https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/best-action-movies/ |date=July 17, 2019 |website=[[Complex (magazine)|Complex]] |access-date=June 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200519031723/https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/best-action-movies/ |archive-date=May 19, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="ActionGuardian">{{cite web| title=The 25 Best Action And War Films Of All Time: The Full List |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/oct/19/action-war-25-list |date=October 19, 2010 |website=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=June 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160507114654/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/oct/19/action-war-25-list |archive-date=May 7, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="ActionTimeOut">{{cite web|first1=Joshua |last1=Rothkopf |first2=Tom |last2=Huddleston |title=The 101 Best Action Movies Ever Made |url=https://www.timeout.com/newyork/film/best-action-movies |date=April 5, 2019 |website=[[Time Out (magazine)|Time Out]] |access-date=June 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418002049/https://www.timeout.com/newyork/film/best-action-movies |archive-date=April 18, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="ActionEsquire">{{cite web|first=Emma |last=Carey |title=The Best Action Movies Of All Time Are a Direct Burst of Adrenaline |url=https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/g32783453/best-action-movies-all-time/ |date=June 10, 2020 |website=[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]] |access-date=June 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200619075856/https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/g32783453/best-action-movies-all-time/ |archive-date=June 19, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="ActionMensHealth">{{cite web |title=These Are The 20 Best Action Movies Ever Made |url=https://www.menshealth.com/entertainment/g26455274/best-action-movies/ |date=February 22, 2019 |website=[[Men's Health]] |access-date=June 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200422085233/https://www.menshealth.com/entertainment/g26455274/best-action-movies/ |archive-date=April 22, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="ActionStandard">{{cite web|first=Harry |last=Fletcher |title=The Best Action Movies Of All Time: From ''Die Hard'' To ''Con Air'' |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/go/london/film/the-best-action-movies-of-all-time-from-die-hard-to-con-air-a3667911.html |date=January 10, 2018 |website=[[Evening Standard]] |access-date=June 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180110164833/https://www.standard.co.uk/go/london/film/the-best-action-movies-of-all-time-from-die-hard-to-con-air-a3667911.html |archive-date=January 10, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="afi">{{cite web|title=''Die Hard'' (1988)|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/55749|publisher=[[American Film Institute]]|access-date=February 10, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180211071728/https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/55749|archive-date=February 11, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="AFI100Thrills">{{cite web |url=http://www.afi.com/Docs/100Years/thrills100.pdf |title=AFI's 100 Years...100 Thrills|publisher=[[American Film Institute]] |access-date=June 15, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140328082214/http://www.afi.com/Docs/100Years/thrills100.pdf |archive-date=March 28, 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name="AFI100HeroesVill">{{cite web |url=http://www.afi.com/Docs/100Years/handv100.pdf |title=AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes And Villains |publisher=[[American Film Institute]] |access-date=June 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140328082215/http://www.afi.com/Docs/100Years/handv100.pdf |archive-date=March 28, 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="AllMusicreview">{{cite web|first=Ryan |last=Vlastelica |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/die-hard-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-mw0000977518 |title=Allmusic Review By Neil Shurley |publisher=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=June 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171003033649/http://www.allmusic.com/album/die-hard-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-mw0000977518 |archive-date=October 3, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="AlPacino">{{cite web |url=http://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/i-turned-down-star-wars-because-i-didnt-understand-the-script-al-pacino-gets-a-standing-ovation-for-his-ramblings-and-reminiscences-8641804.html |last1=Jury |first1=Louise |last2=Pettitt |first2=Josh |title='I Turned Down ''Star Wars'' Because I Didn't Understand The Script': Al Pacino Gets A Standing Ovation For His Ramblings And Reminiscences |website=[[Evening Standard]] |date=June 3, 2013 |access-date=July 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928145055/https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/i-turned-down-star-wars-because-i-didnt-understand-the-script-al-pacino-gets-a-standing-ovation-for-8641804.html |archive-date=September 28, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="AVClubRetro">{{cite web|first=Tom |last=Breihan |url=https://www.avclub.com/die-hard-humanized-and-perfected-the-action-movie-1798254036 |title=''Die Hard'' Humanized (And Perfected) The Action Movie |website=[[The A.V. Club]] |date=November 4, 2016 |access-date=June 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191127073738/https://film.avclub.com/die-hard-humanized-and-perfected-the-action-movie-1798254036 |archive-date=November 27, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="AVNovel">{{cite web|first=Ryan |last=Vlastelica |url=https://www.avclub.com/the-novel-that-inspired-die-hard-has-its-structure-but-1820927407 |title=The Novel That Inspired ''Die Hard'' Has Its Structure, But None Of Its Holiday Spirit |website=[[The A.V. Club]] |date=December 11, 2017 |access-date=June 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200603121153/https://www.avclub.com/the-novel-that-inspired-die-hard-has-its-structure-but-1820927407 |archive-date=June 3, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="BarryJenkins">{{cite web |url=https://www.list.co.uk/article/116305-barry-jenkins-was-inspired-to-direct-after-watching-die-hard/ |title=Barry Jenkins Was Inspired To Direct After Watching ''Die Hard'' |website=[[The List (magazine)|The List]] |date=May 16, 2020 |access-date=June 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200618161041/https://www.list.co.uk/article/116305-barry-jenkins-was-inspired-to-direct-after-watching-die-hard/|archive-date=June 18, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="BBC3Xmas">{{cite web|first=Tomasz|last=Frymorgen |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/article/4729e8ae-ca0b-4d4a-a43a-36e29cc33296|title=People Are Claiming ''Die Hard'' Is A Christmas Film And It's Tearing The Internet Apart|date=November 28, 2017 |publisher=[[BBC Online]] |access-date=June 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224010346/http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/item/4729e8ae-ca0b-4d4a-a43a-36e29cc33296 |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="BBCRickmanObit">{{cite web| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35313578 |title=Obituary: Alan Rickman |date=January 14, 2016 |publisher=[[BBC News]] |access-date=March 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220318035941/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35313578 |archive-date=March 18, 2022 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name="BFICast">{{cite web |title=''Die Hard'' (1988) |url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b794bae55 |publisher=[[British Film Institute]] |access-date=November 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430180448/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b794bae55 |archive-date=April 30, 2019 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name="BillboardHollis">{{cite web|first=Ron |last=Hart |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/holiday/8078500/run-dmc-christmas-in-hollis-song |title=Run-D.M.C.'s 'Christmas In Hollis' At 30: Darryl McDaniels On Keith Haring, ''Die Hard'' & His 'Real' Rhyme |website=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=December 21, 2017 |access-date=June 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200621221328/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/holiday/8078500/run-dmc-christmas-in-hollis-song |archive-date=June 21, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="BoardGameAVClub">{{cite web|first=Samantha |last=Nelson |url=https://www.avclub.com/christmas-comes-early-with-the-festive-bloody-die-hard-1840372094 |title=Christmas Comes Early With The Festive, Bloody ''Die Hard: The Nakatomi Heist'' |website=[[The A.V. Club]] |date=December 13, 2019 |access-date=November 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200307121355/https://games.avclub.com/christmas-comes-early-with-the-festive-bloody-die-hard-1840372094 |archive-date=March 7, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="BoardGamePolygon">{{cite web|first=Charlie |last=Hall |url=https://www.polygon.com/2019/3/19/18271719/die-hard-the-nakatomi-heist-board-game-announcement |title=They're Making A ''Die Hard'' Board Game |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |date=March 19, 2019 |access-date=June 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200617215516/https://www.polygon.com/2019/3/19/18271719/die-hard-the-nakatomi-heist-board-game-announcement |archive-date=June 17, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="BOMGeneral">{{cite Box Office Mojo |id=0095016 |title=Die Hard |access-date=March 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200629212024/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0095016/ |archive-date=June 29, 2020 |url-status=live |publisher_hide=yes}}</ref>

<ref name="BOMWorldwide">{{cite web|title=1988 Worldwide Box Office |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/world/1988/ |publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]] |access-date=June 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607143841/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/world/1988/ |archive-date=June 7, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="BOMGOODAY">{{cite Box Office Mojo|id=1606378 |title=A Good Day To Die Hard |access-date=March 3, 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210209220655/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt1606378/|archive-date=February 9, 2021 |url-status=live |publisher_hide=yes}}</ref>

<ref name="CastBochner">{{cite web|first=Simon |last=Brew |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/hart-bochner-interview-ellis-in-die-hard-directing-and-more/ |title=Hart Bochner Interview: Ellis In ''Die Hard'', Directing, And More
 |publisher=[[Den of Geek]] |date=November 6, 2012 |access-date=June 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200618230953/https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/hart-bochner-interview-ellis-in-die-hard-directing-and-more/ |archive-date=June 18, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="CastNewman">{{cite web|first=Michael |last=Rothman |url=https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/die-hard-turns-30-film-played-john-mcclane/story?id=56565600 |title=''Die Hard'' Turns 30: All About The Film And Who Could Have Played John McClane |publisher=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |date=June 23, 2013 |access-date=July 7, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180717145308/https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/die-hard-turns-30-film-played-john-mcclane/story?id=56565600 |archive-date=July 17, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="CastReynolds">{{cite web|first=Tanya |last=Gharemani |url=http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2013/06/a-history-of-iconic-roles-that-famous-actors-turned-down/burt-reynolds-as-john-mcclane |title=A History Of Iconic Roles That Famous Actors Turned Down |website=[[Complex (magazine)|Complex]] |date=June 23, 2013 |access-date=July 7, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130627152714/http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2013/06/a-history-of-iconic-roles-that-famous-actors-turned-down/burt-reynolds-as-john-mcclane |archive-date=June 27, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="CBCChristmas">{{cite web|first=Falice |last=Chin |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/die-hard-christmas-movie-debate-calgary-eyeopener-1.4450305|title=Why ''Die Hard'' Is The Ultimate Christmas movie – Despite Naysayers|publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |access-date=June 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171226162909/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/die-hard-christmas-movie-debate-calgary-eyeopener-1.4450305|archive-date=December 26, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="CinemaScore">{{Cite web |first=Pamela |last=McClintock |title=Why CinemaScore Matters for Box Office |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/why-cinemascore-matters-box-office-225563/ |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=August 19, 2011 |access-date=July 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719145918/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/why-cinemascore-matters-box-office-225563/ |archive-date=July 19, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="CloserWillis">{{cite web|last= Gross |first=Ed |title=''Die Hard'' Is 30 – Meet The 1988 Bruce Willis In A Recovered Interview |url=https://www.closerweekly.com/posts/bruce-willis-die-hard-161288/ |website= [[Closer (magazine)|Closer]] |date=June 6, 2018 |access-date=June 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200317024824/https://www.closerweekly.com/posts/bruce-willis-die-hard-161288/ |archive-date=March 17, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="ComicYearOne">{{cite web|first=Peter |last=Sciretta |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/die-hard-year-one-john-mcclane-prequel-developed-as-a-comic-book-series/ |title=''Die Hard: Year One'' – John McClane Prequel Developed As A Comic Book Series |website=[[/Film]] |date=May 28, 2009 |access-date=June 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130202105441/http://www.slashfilm.com/die-hard-year-one-john-mcclane-prequel-developed-as-a-comic-book-series/ |archive-date=February 2, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="ComicMillion">{{cite web|first=John |last=Squires |url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/comics/3535565/gruesome-new-graphic-novel-million-ways-die-hard-pits-john-mcclane-serial-killer-obsessed-movies/ |title=Gruesome New Graphic Novel ''A Million Ways to Die Hard'' Pits John McClane Against A Serial Killer Obsessed With Movies |publisher=[[Bloody Disgusting]] |date=November 29, 2018 |access-date=June 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200621220851/https://bloody-disgusting.com/comics/3535565/gruesome-new-graphic-novel-million-ways-die-hard-pits-john-mcclane-serial-killer-obsessed-movies/ |archive-date=June 21, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="CreativeScreenwriting">{{cite web|url=http://creativescreenwriting.com/there-is-no-such-thing-as-an-action-movie-steven-e-de-souza-on-screenwriting/|title='There Is No Such Thing As An Action Movie.' Steven E. de Souza On Screenwriting|last=Frazier|first=Dan|date=August 24, 2015|website=Creative Screenwriting|access-date=August 25, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150915041138/http://creativescreenwriting.com/there-is-no-such-thing-as-an-action-movie-steven-e-de-souza-on-screenwriting/|archive-date=September 15, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="Curbed">{{cite web|first=Hadley |last=Meares |url=https://la.curbed.com/2019/12/13/21011651/die-hard-christmas-building-name |title=The Real-Life Tower That Made ''Die Hard'' |website=[[Curbed]] |date=December 13, 2019 |access-date=June 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200523170309/https://la.curbed.com/2019/12/13/21011651/die-hard-christmas-building-name |archive-date=May 23, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="DailyBeastCaan">{{cite web|first=James |last=Dyer |url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/die-hard-the-ultimate-viewing-guide/ |title=''Die Hard: The Ultimate Viewing Guide'' |website= [[Empire (film magazine)|Empire]]|date=September 26, 2019 |access-date=March 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203064942/https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/die-hard-the-ultimate-viewing-guide/ |archive-date=February 3, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="DeadlineClassic">{{cite web|first1=Nancy |last1=Tartaglione |first2=Dino-Ray |last2=Ramos |url=https://deadline.com/2018/09/die-hard-6-title-mcclane-bruce-willis-origin-story-prequel-lorenzo-di-bonaventura-1202456391/ |title=''Die Hard'' Origins Story Now Titled ''McClane''|website= [[Deadline Hollywood]]|date=September 3, 2018|access-date=April 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201203194138/https://deadline.com/2018/09/die-hard-6-title-mcclane-bruce-willis-origin-story-prequel-lorenzo-di-bonaventura-1202456391/ |archive-date=December 3, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="DevMisc">{{cite web|first=Jeremy |last=Kirk |url=https://filmschoolrejects.com/31-things-we-learned-from-the-die-hard-commentary-track-540a42ca0d2f/ |title=31 Things We Learned From The ''Die Hard'' Commentary Track |website=[[Film School Rejects]] |date=July 19, 2011 |access-date=July 7, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130524170317/http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/features/31-things-we-learned-from-the-die-hard-commentary-track.php |archive-date=May 24, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="DevOtherActors">{{cite web|first=Meriah |last=Doty |url=https://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-talk/actors-turned-down-die-hard-003953140.html |title=Actors Who Turned Down ''Die Hard'' |publisher=[[Yahoo! Movies]] |date=February 13, 2013 |access-date=July 7, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130625133910/http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-talk/actors-turned-down-die-hard-003953140.html |archive-date=June 25, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="DevWillisSalary">{{cite web|first=Aljean |last=Harmetz |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1988/02/18/bruce-willis-will-die-hard-for-5-million/ |title=Bruce Willis Will ''Die Hard'' For $5 Million |website=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=February 18, 1988 |access-date=July 7, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150913000651/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1988-02-18/features/8803310415_1_die-hard-star-movie |archive-date=September 13, 2015 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="DigitalSpyEllis">{{cite web|last=Longridge |first=Chris |title=The Top 20 Biggest Douchebags In Movie History, Ranked – From ''Die Hard'' To ''Trainspotting'' |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a809405/the-top-20-biggest-douchebags-in-movie-history-ranked/ |publisher=[[Digital Spy]] |date=September 29, 2016 |access-date=November 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108102741/https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a809405/the-top-20-biggest-douchebags-in-movie-history-ranked/ |archive-date=November 8, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="DOGSequels">{{cite web|first=Ryan |last=Lambie |title=The Strange History Of The ''Die Hard'' Movies |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-strange-history-of-the-die-hard-movies/ |publisher=[[Den of Geek]] |date=December 1, 2019 |access-date=June 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200423152455/https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-strange-history-of-the-die-hard-movies/ |archive-date=April 23, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="DOGRankings">{{cite web|first=Simon |last=Brewer |title=Ranking The ''Die Hard'' Movies |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/ranking-the-die-hard-movies/|publisher=[[Den of Geek]] |date=December 19, 2016 |access-date=June 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200619133106/https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/ranking-the-die-hard-movies/|archive-date=June 19, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="DOGLookingBack">{{cite web|first=Mark| last=Oakley |title=Looking back At ''Die Hard 2'' |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/looking-back-at-die-hard-2/|publisher=[[Den of Geek]] |date=December 26, 2019 |access-date=June 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200621214235/https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/looking-back-at-die-hard-2/ | archive-date=June 21, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="DOGGoodday">{{cite web|first=Simon | last=Brew |title=How ''A Good Day To Die Hard'' Left The Franchise In Limbo |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/how-a-good-day-to-die-hard-left-the-franchise-in-limbo/ |publisher=[[Den of Geek]] |date=February 2, 2017 |access-date=June 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417045338/https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/how-a-good-day-to-die-hard-left-the-franchise-in-limbo/ | archive-date=April 17, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="EbertSeitz">{{cite web|last= Zoller Seitz |first=Matt |author-link=Matt Zoller Seitz |title=''Die Hard'' In A Building: An Action Classic Turns 25 |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/mzs/die-hard-in-a-building-an-action-classic-turns-25 |website= [[RogerEbert.com]] |date=July 15, 2013 |access-date=June 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609053633/https://www.rogerebert.com/mzs/die-hard-in-a-building-an-action-classic-turns-25 |archive-date=June 9, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="EmpireRetro">{{cite web|last= Hewitt |first= Chris |title=Empire Essay – ''Die Hard'' Review |website= [[Empire (film magazine)|Empire]] |date= March 9, 2007 |url= https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/empire-essay-die-hard-review/ |access-date=June 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219120625/https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/empire-essay-die-hard-review/ |archive-date=December 19, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="Empire100McClane">{{cite web|url=https://www.empireonline.com/100-greatest-movie-characters/default.asp?c=12 |title=The 100 Greatest Movie Characters – 12. John McClane | website=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]] |access-date=June 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119215949/http://www.empireonline.com/100-greatest-movie-characters/default.asp?c=12 |archive-date=January 19, 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="Empire500">{{cite web|url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/500-greatest-movies/ |title=The 500 Greatest Movies Of All Time|website=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]] |date=October 3, 2008 |access-date=June 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151104180959/https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/500-greatest-movies/ |archive-date=November 4, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="EmpireBestAction2016">{{cite web |title=The 60 Best Action Movies |url= https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/best-action-movies/|website= [[Empire (film magazine)|Empire]] |date= October 1, 2016 |access-date=June 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181123004554/https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/best-action-movies/ |archive-date=November 23, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="EsquireSequels">{{cite web| first=Nick | last = Schager | url =https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/a23240/die-hard-influence/ | title = The Undying Influence Of ''Die Hard''| date =June 26, 2013| website= [[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]] | access-date =June 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200617171510/https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/a23240/die-hard-influence/ |archive-date=June 17, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="EWTopAction">{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN1448232520070615|title=''Die Hard'' Tops Magazine List Of Best Action Films|website=[[Reuters]]|date=June 15, 2007|access-date=July 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090715005610/http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN1448232520070615|archive-date=July 15, 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="EWXmas">{{cite web| first= Mike | last = Miller | url = https://ew.com/movies/2018/07/15/bruce-willis-die-hard-not-christmas-movie/ | title = Bruce Willis Declares ''Die Hard'' Is Not A Christmas Movie | date = July 15, 2018 | website= [[Entertainment Weekly]] | access-date = June 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200502135533/https://ew.com/movies/2018/07/15/bruce-willis-die-hard-not-christmas-movie/ |archive-date=May 2, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="FilmTracks">{{cite web|url=http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/die_hard.html|title=Filmtracks: ''Die Hard'' (Michael Kamen)|access-date=June 29, 2020 |publisher=[[Filmtracks.com]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090701235511/http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/die_hard.html|archive-date=July 1, 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="Gizmodo">{{cite web|first= Germain |last=Lussier |title=I Went To ''Die Hard''{{'s}} Nakatomi Plaza And Not A Single Hostage Was Taken |url=https://io9.gizmodo.com/i-went-to-die-hards-nakatomi-plaza-and-not-a-single-hos-1828012587 |website=[[Gizmodo]] |date=March 8, 2018 |access-date=June 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191122183538/https://io9.gizmodo.com/i-went-to-die-hards-nakatomi-plaza-and-not-a-single-hos-1828012587 |archive-date=November 22, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="GuardianHearing">{{cite web|first=Rosanna |last=Greenstreet |title=Q&A |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2007/jul/07/1 |website=[[The Guardian]]| date=July 7, 2007 | access-date=June 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203083250/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2007/jul/07/1 |archive-date=February 3, 2021 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="GuardianSequels">{{cite web|first=Catherine |last=Shoard |title=Bruce Willis To Retire From Acting Due To Aphasia Diagnosis |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/mar/30/bruce-willis-to-retire-from-acting-following-aphasia-diagnosis |website=[[The Guardian]]| date=March 30, 2022 | access-date=September 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220927045632/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/mar/30/bruce-willis-to-retire-from-acting-following-aphasia-diagnosis |archive-date=September 27, 2022 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="HomeMediaChicago">{{cite web|first=Richard |last=Christiansen |title=''Antz'' Edition Offers Excellent Extras |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1999-04-17-9904170153-story.html |website=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=April 17, 1999 |access-date=June 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200624181741/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1999-04-17-9904170153-story.html |archive-date=June 24, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="HomeMediaIGN">{{cite web|first=Nick |last=Nunziata |title=''Die Hard'': SE (5 Star Series) |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/07/10/die-hard-se-5-star-series |website=[[IGN]] |date=July 10, 2001 |access-date=June 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200624182006/https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/07/10/die-hard-se-5-star-series |archive-date= June 24, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="HomeMedianNYTimes">{{cite web|first=Terry |last=Pristin |title=DVD Takes A Big Step In Competition With VHS |url=http://movies2.nytimes.com/2000/01/07/technology/07video.html |website=[[The New York Times]] |date=January 7, 2000 |access-date=June 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191026095633/http://movies2.nytimes.com/2000/01/07/technology/07video.html |archive-date=October 26, 2019 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="HomeMediaBBC">{{cite web|title=''Die Hard'' Special Edition DVD (1988) |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2002/02/04/die_hard_special_edition_2002_dvd_review.shtml |publisher=[[BBC Online]] |access-date=November 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171208015442/http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2002/02/04/die_hard_special_edition_2002_dvd_review.shtml |archive-date=December 8, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="HomeMediaEbert">{{cite web|first=Brian |last=Tallerico |title=Blu-ray Review: ''Die Hard: The Nakatomi Plaza Collection'' |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/streaming/blu-ray-review-die-hard-the-nakatomi-plaza-collection |website=[[RogerEbert.com]] |date=November 6, 2015 |access-date=June 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609050336/https://www.rogerebert.com/streaming/blu-ray-review-die-hard-the-nakatomi-plaza-collection |archive-date=June 9, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="HomeMediaSound">{{cite web| title= ''Die Hard'' Gets Remastered In 4K for 30th Anniversary|url=https://www.soundandvision.com/content/%E2%80%98die-hard%E2%80%99-gets-remastered-4k-30th-anniversary |website=[[Sound & Vision (magazine)|Sound & Vision]] |date=April 30, 2018 |access-date=June 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200624183906/https://www.soundandvision.com/content/%E2%80%98die-hard%E2%80%99-gets-remastered-4k-30th-anniversary |archive-date=June 24, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="HomeMediaengaget">{{cite web|first=Ben |last=Drawbaugh |title=HD DVD And Blu-ray Releases On November 20th, 2007 |url=https://www.engadget.com/2007-11-19-hd-dvd-and-blu-ray-releases-on-november-20th-2007.html |website=[[Engadget]] |date=November 19, 2007 |access-date=June 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200624184215/https://www.engadget.com/2007-11-19-hd-dvd-and-blu-ray-releases-on-november-20th-2007.html |archive-date=June 24, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="IGNGunn">{{cite web|first=Matt |last=Fowler |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/james-gunn-recommends-54-action-movies-to-cure-the-quarantine-blues |title=James Gunn Recommends 54 Action Movies To Cure The Quarantine Blues|website=[[IGN]] |date=April 18, 2020 |access-date=June 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200617225642/https://www.ign.com/articles/james-gunn-recommends-54-action-movies-to-cure-the-quarantine-blues |archive-date=June 17, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="IGNTopACtion">{{cite web|first=Matt |last=Fowler|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/the-top-25-action-movies?page=5|title=The Top 25 Action Movies|website=[[IGN]] |date=January 9, 2012 |access-date=June 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221153925/http://www.ign.com/articles/the-top-25-action-movies?page=5|archive-date=December 21, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name=Independent1>{{cite web|last= Power |first= Ed |title= ''Die Hard'' At 30: How The Every-dude Action Movie Defied Expectations And Turned Bruce Willis Into A Star |website= [[The Independent]] |date= November 26, 2018 |url= https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/die-hard-at-30-anniversary-bruce-willis-john-mcclane-action-movie-christmas-john-mctiernan-a8642466.html |access-date=June 11, 2020 }}</ref>

<ref name=IndependentKamen>{{cite web|last= Smith |first= Giles |title=POP / Interview: The Man Who Gets All The Credits: When The Composer Michael Kamen Gave Us 'Everything I Do', It Hung Around For Months. Now 'All For Love' Looks Set To Do The Same. Can We Forgive Him? Giles Smith Thinks So |website= [[The Independent]] |date= January 20, 1994 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/pop-interview-the-man-who-gets-all-the-credits-when-the-composer-michael-kamen-gave-us-everything-i-1408133.html |access-date=June 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200614123006/https://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/pop-interview-the-man-who-gets-all-the-credits-when-the-composer-michael-kamen-gave-us-everything-i-1408133.html|archive-date=June 14, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="IndependentXmas">{{Cite web |first=Roisin |last=O'Connor |title=''Die Hard'' Screenwriter Says It Is A Christmas Movie: 'A Woman About To Give Birth Features Prominently' |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/die-hard-christmas-film-bruce-willis-yougov-poll-screenwriter-steven-de-souza-a8127841.html|date=December 25, 2017 |website=[[The Independent]] |access-date=June 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171225214314/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/die-hard-christmas-film-bruce-willis-yougov-poll-screenwriter-steven-de-souza-a8127841.html|archive-date=December 25, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="LATimesBenson">{{cite web|first=Sheila |last=Benson |author-link=Sheila Benson |title=Drinking, Sexism And Box Office Woes |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-08-14-ca-748-story.html |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=August 14, 1988 |access-date=June 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200625190946/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-08-14-ca-748-story.html |archive-date=June 25, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="LATimesDieHard3">{{cite web|first=Jeffrey |last=Wells |title=Off-Centerpiece : ''Die Hard 3'' Blown Out Of The Water By ''Siege'' |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-11-01-ca-1596-story.html |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=November 1, 1992 |access-date=June 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323013637/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-11-01-ca-1596-story.html |archive-date=March 23, 2019 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="LATImesAdvertising">{{cite web|first=Pat H.|last=Broeske | title=High-Rising Career|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-07-17-ca-9545-story.html |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=July 17, 1988 |access-date=June 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200608180205/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-07-17-ca-9545-story.html |archive-date= June 8, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="LATimesDebutWeek">{{cite web|first=John |last=Voland | title=Weekend Box Office : Audiences Make Eastwood's Weekend |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-07-19-ca-6120-story.html |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=July 19, 1988 |access-date=June 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200608174209/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-07-19-ca-6120-story.html |archive-date= June 8, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

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<ref name="LATimesHoldUp">{{cite web|first1=Justin |last1=Chang |first2=Mark |last2=Olsen |author-link1=Justin Chang |title=Has ''Back to the Future'' Aged Well? Our Critics Take A Closer Look At A Summer Fave |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2020-07-16/back-to-the-future-ultimate-summer-movie-showdown |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=July 16, 2020 |access-date=September 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200930181142/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2020-07-16/back-to-the-future-ultimate-summer-movie-showdown |archive-date=September 30, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="LATimesJuly03">{{cite web|first=Craig |last=Modderno | title=Willis Copes With The Glare Of Celebrity |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-07-03-ca-8885-story.html |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=July 3, 1988 |access-date=June 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200608115040/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-07-03-ca-8885-story.html |archive-date= June 8, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="LATimesSummerReview">{{cite web|first=Nina J.|last=Easton | title=Summer Box Office Heats Up : Despite Higher Ticket Prices, Biggest-Grossing Season Since '84 Seen |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-09-01-ca-4524-story.html |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=September 1, 1988 |access-date=June 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200608182338/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-09-01-ca-4524-story.html |archive-date= June 8, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="LATimesSalaryAftermath">{{cite web|first=Michael |last=Cieply | title=The Big Squeeze : New Movie Economics Bring Good Times For 'The Business,' Bad Times For Hollywood |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-11-16-ca-269-story.html |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=November 16, 1988 |access-date=June 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200608224504/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-11-16-ca-269-story.html |archive-date= June 8, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="LATIMESVHSWeek1">{{cite web|first=Dennis |last=Hunt | title=Tough Guys Come Home |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-02-09-ca-3007-story.html |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=February 9, 1989 |access-date=June 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609210457/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-02-09-ca-3007-story.html |archive-date= June 9, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="LATIMESVHSWeek2">{{cite web|first=Dennis |last=Hunt | title=Renters Go For the Gore |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-02-16-ca-3786-story.html |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=February 16, 1989 |access-date=June 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609210618/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-02-16-ca-3786-story.html |archive-date= June 9, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="LATimesSixWeeks">{{cite web|first=Dennis |last=Hunt | title=''Die Hard'' Refuses To Die |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-03-23-ca-38-story.html |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=March 23, 1989 |access-date=June 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609210750/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-03-23-ca-38-story.html |archive-date= June 9, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="LATimesWanda">{{cite web|first=Dennis |last=Hunt | title=''Die Hard'' Bows To ''Wanda'' |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-03-30-ca-604-story.html |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=March 30, 1989 |access-date=June 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609210914/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-03-30-ca-604-story.html |archive-date= June 9, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="lawrence20160830">{{Cite web|last=Lawrence |first=Christopher|url=http://www.reviewjournal.com/neon/las-vegan-s-polling-company-keeps-tabs-hollywood |title=Las Vegan's Polling Company Keeps Tabs On Hollywood |date=August 30, 2016 |website=[[Las Vegas Review-Journal]] |access-date=December 24, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161224100303/http://www.reviewjournal.com/neon/las-vegan-s-polling-company-keeps-tabs-hollywood |archive-date=December 24, 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name="LegacyDigitalSpy">{{cite web|last=Reynolds|first=Simon|title=''Muppet Christmas Carol'' Tops Digital Spy Favourite Christmas Film Poll|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/news/a356141/muppet-christmas-carol-tops-digital-spy-favourite-christmas-film-poll.html|publisher=[[Digital Spy]] |date=December 19, 2011|access-date=December 24, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120108014025/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/news/a356141/muppet-christmas-carol-tops-digital-spy-favourite-christmas-film-poll.html|archive-date=January 8, 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="LegacyEmpireXmas">{{Cite web|title=The 30 Best Christmas Movies Ever |url=https://www.empireonline.com/features/30-best-christmas-movies/p30 | website= [[Empire (film magazine)|Empire]]|date=December 2010 |access-date=June 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120120055157/http://www.empireonline.com/features/30-best-christmas-movies/p30 |archive-date=January 20, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="LegacyEW">{{cite web|first=Chris|last=Nashawaty|title=20 Top Christmas Movies Ever|url=https://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20317203_20449281_20888961,00.html|website=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |date=December 26, 2011 |access-date=December 20, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141220044906/http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20317203_20449281_20888961,00.html|archive-date=December 20, 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name="LegacySFGate">{{cite web|title=Today's Special: Best Christmas Movies of All Time (Updated!)|url=http://blog.sfgate.com/thebigevent/2011/12/22/todays-special-best-christmas-movies-of-all-time/#photo-34458|website=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] |access-date=June 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141220043810/http://blog.sfgate.com/thebigevent/2011/12/22/todays-special-best-christmas-movies-of-all-time/#photo-34458|archive-date=December 20, 2014 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="LegacyTHR">{{cite web|first1=Aaron|last1=Couch |first2=Kimberly |last2=Nordyke |first3=Rebecca |last3=Ford |title=Ho Ho Hollywood! Tinseltown's 30 Best Christmas-Themed Movies |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/gallery/best-christmas-movies-grinch-rudolph-395660#4-die-hard|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=December 21, 2016 | access-date=June 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206234656/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/gallery/best-christmas-movies-grinch-rudolph-395660#4-die-hard|archive-date=February 6, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="LegacyGuardian">{{cite web|last=Child|first=Ben|title=It's A Wonderful Life Tops Favourite Christmas Film Poll |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/nov/29/christmas-favourite-film-poll-wonderful |website=[[The Guardian]]|date=November 29, 2011 |access-date=June 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170217143938/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/nov/29/christmas-favourite-film-poll-wonderful|archive-date=February 17, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="LegacyEmpire">{{cite web| title=The 100 Greatest Movie Characters – 17. Hans Gruber |url=https://www.empireonline.com/100-greatest-movie-characters/default.asp?c=17 |website=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]] |access-date=June 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111107045531/http://www.empireonline.com/100-greatest-movie-characters/default.asp?c=17 |archive-date=November 7, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

<ref name="LOC">{{cite web|url=https://www.loc.gov/item/prn-17-178/|title=2017 National Film Registry Is More Than A ''Field of Dreams''|date=December 13, 2017|publisher=[[Library of Congress]] |access-date=December 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171213180919/https://www.loc.gov/item/prn-17-178/|archive-date=December 13, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="MaximVelJohnson">{{cite web | title=5 Revelations From The New ''Die Hard'' Oral History That You Probably Didn't Know |url=https://www.maxim.com/entertainment/5-revelations-die-hard-oral-history-2016-6 |website=[[Maxim (magazine)|Maxim]] |date=June 15, 2016 |access-date=November 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200918211528/https://www.maxim.com/entertainment/5-revelations-die-hard-oral-history-2016-6 |archive-date=September 18, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="MerchBook">{{cite web|first=Max |last=Evry | title=Exclusive Pages From ''Die Hard: The Ultimate Visual History'' |url=https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/features/996313-exclusive-pages-from-die-hard-the-ultimate-visual-history#/slide/2 |publisher=[[ComingSoon.net|Coming Soon]] |date=October 12, 2018 |access-date=June 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200617224111/https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/features/996313-exclusive-pages-from-die-hard-the-ultimate-visual-history |archive-date=June 17, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="Metacritic">{{Cite Metacritic | id=die-hard | type=movie | title=Die Hard | access-date=December 11, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100921084954/http://www.metacritic.com/movie/die-hard|archive-date=September 21, 2010 |url-status=live |publisher_hide=yes}}</ref>

<ref name="MorningCall">{{cite web|first=Joanna |last=Piacenza | title=No, ''Die Hard'' Isn't A Christmas Movie, Most People Say |url=https://morningconsult.com/2018/12/04/no-die-hard-isnt-christmas-movie-most-people-say/ |website=[[Morning Consult]] |date=December 4, 2018 |access-date=April 4, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127044512/https://morningconsult.com/2018/12/04/no-die-hard-isnt-christmas-movie-most-people-say/ |archive-date= January 27, 2021 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="NationalFilmRegistry">{{cite web|first=Daniel|last=Kreps | title=''Die Hard'', ''Titanic'', ''Goonies'' Added To National Film Registry |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-news/die-hard-titanic-goonies-added-to-national-film-registry-126568/ |website=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=December 13, 2017 |access-date=June 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200313162751/https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-news/die-hard-titanic-goonies-added-to-national-film-registry-126568/ |archive-date= March 13, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="NewYorkerThemes">{{cite magazine|first=Richard |last=Brody |author-link=Richard Brody | title=Eighties Action Movies I've Never Seen: ''Die Hard''{{'s}} Culture Of Violence |url=https://www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/i-watched-die-hard-for-the-first-time |magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |date=August 3, 2017 |access-date=June 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191017101951/https://www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/i-watched-die-hard-for-the-first-time |archive-date= October 17, 2019 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="NMERetro">{{cite web|first=Rhian |last=Daly | title=''Die Hard'' Co-writer Explains 29-Year-Old Plot Hole |url=https://www.nme.com/news/film/die-hard-co-writer-explains-29-year-old-plot-hole-2002668 |website=[[NME]] |date=March 5, 2017 |access-date=June 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428070207/https://www.nme.com/news/film/die-hard-co-writer-explains-29-year-old-plot-hole-2002668 |archive-date= April 28, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="NYTimesSalaryAftermath">{{cite web|first=Aljean|last=Harmetz | title=If Willis Gets $5 Million, How Much for Redford? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/02/16/movies/if-willis-gets-5-million-how-much-for-redford.html |website=[[The New York Times]] |date=February 16, 1988 |access-date=June 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180820231741/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/02/16/movies/if-willis-gets-5-million-how-much-for-redford.html|archive-date= August 20, 2018 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="NYTimesRental">{{cite web| first=Janet |last=Maslin |author-link=Janet Maslin |title=Film View; Mysteries Of Cassette Love |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/03/05/movies/film-view-mysteries-of-cassette-love.html |date=March 5, 1989 |website=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=June 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607210915/https://www.nytimes.com/1989/03/05/movies/film-view-mysteries-of-cassette-love.html |archive-date=June 7, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="NYTimesVHS">{{cite news| first=Stewart |last=Kellerman |title=Home Video/New Releases |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/01/29/movies/home-video-new-releases.html |website=[[The New York Times]] |date=January 29, 1989 |access-date= June 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607210909/https://www.nytimes.com/1989/01/29/movies/home-video-new-releases.html |archive-date=June 7, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="NYTimesMcTiernan">{{cite web| first=Lawrence |last= Van Gelder |title= At the Movies|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/03/17/movies/at-the-movies.html |date=March 17, 1989 |website=[[The New York Times]] |access-date= June 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607185618/https://www.nytimes.com/1989/03/17/movies/at-the-movies.html |archive-date= June 7, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="NYTimesComedy">{{cite web| first=Aljean |last=Harmetz |title=Funny Meant Money At The Movies In 1988 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/01/17/movies/funny-meant-money-at-the-movies-in-1988.html |date=January 17, 1989 |website=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=June 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607210908/https://www.nytimes.com/1989/01/17/movies/funny-meant-money-at-the-movies-in-1988.html |archive-date=June 7, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="NYTimesCatholic">{{cite web| first=Aljean |last=Harmetz |title=7,500 Picket Universal Over Movie About Jesus |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/08/12/movies/7500-picket-universal-over-movie-about-jesus.html |date= August 12, 1988|website=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=June 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607184804/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/08/12/movies/7500-picket-universal-over-movie-about-jesus.html |archive-date=June 7, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="NYTimesDebut">{{cite web| first=Aljean |last=Harmetz |title=''Last Temptation'' Sets A Record As Pickets Decline |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/08/15/movies/last-temptation-sets-a-record-as-pickets-decline.html |date=August 15, 1988 |website=[[The New York Times]] |access-date= June 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607190505/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/08/15/movies/last-temptation-sets-a-record-as-pickets-decline.html |archive-date=June 7, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="NYTImesAssessment">{{cite web| first=Aljean |last=Harmetz |title=A Blockbuster Summer Of Blockbusters |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/09/06/movies/a-blockbuster-summer-of-blockbusters.html |date=September 6, 1988 |website=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=June 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180729081250/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/09/06/movies/a-blockbuster-summer-of-blockbusters.html |archive-date=July 29, 2018 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="NYTimesPostRelease">{{cite web| first=Aljean |last=Harmetz |title=Big Hollywood Salaries A Magnet For The Stars (And The Public) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/07/25/movies/big-hollywood-salaries-a-magnet-for-the-stars-and-the-public.html |date=July 25, 1988 |website=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=June 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200416080331/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/07/25/movies/big-hollywood-salaries-a-magnet-for-the-stars-and-the-public.html |archive-date=April 16, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="NYTimesPreview">{{cite web| first=Aljean |last=Harmetz |title=Hollywood Opens Its Summer Onslaught |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/05/26/movies/hollywood-opens-its-summer-onslaught.html |date=May 26, 1988 |website=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=June 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180729081403/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/05/26/movies/hollywood-opens-its-summer-onslaught.html |archive-date=July 29, 2018 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="NYTimesThorp">{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/05/04/arts/roderick-thorp-62-a-detective-turned-popular-crime-novelist.html |title=Roderick Thorp, 62, A Detective Turned Popular Crime Novelist |first=Nick |last=Ravo|website=[[The New York Times]] |date=May 4, 1999|access-date=June 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230126233811/https://www.nytimes.com/1999/05/04/arts/roderick-thorp-62-a-detective-turned-popular-crime-novelist.html |archive-date=January 26, 2023 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="ObserverXmas">{{cite web|first=John A.|last=Tures |title=Why You Should Watch ''Die Hard'' This Holiday Season—Even If You Don't Think It's A Christmas Film|url=https://observer.com/2018/12/die-hard-christmas-film-debate-lessons/ |date=December 24, 2018 |website=[[The New York Observer]] |access-date=June 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191108213242/https://observer.com/2018/12/die-hard-christmas-film-debate-lessons/ |archive-date=November 8, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="Oscars1989">{{cite web |url=http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1989 |title=The 61st Academy Awards (1989) Nominees And Winners |access-date=October 16, 2011 |publisher=[[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706095646/http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/legacy/ceremony/61st-winners.html |archive-date=July 6, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="PeopleBedelia">{{cite web|last= Fernandez |first=Alexia |title=''Die Hard'' 30 Years Later: Bruce Willis Was 'Distracted' By Demi Moore, Jokes Costar Bonnie Bedelia |url= https://people.com/movies/die-hard-bonnie-bedelia-bruce-willis-distracted-demi-moore/ |website= [[People (magazine)|People]] |date=August 10, 2018 |access-date=June 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191001061218/https://people.com/movies/die-hard-bonnie-bedelia-bruce-willis-distracted-demi-moore/ |archive-date=October 1, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="PolyGonSequel">{{Cite web |last=Patches |first=Matt |date=July 27, 2021 |title=The ''Die Hard'' Prequel ''McClane'' Died Hard Because Of Disney |url=https://www.polygon.com/22595827/die-hard-6-movie-mcclane-prequel-disney |access-date=September 27, 2022 |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220901100603/https://www.polygon.com/22595827/die-hard-6-movie-mcclane-prequel-disney |archive-date=September 1, 2022 |url-status=live|language=en-US}}</ref>

<ref name="PopCultureNovels">{{cite web |last=Frederick |first=Heather Vogel |date=April 23, 2001 |title=''Die Hard'' with fairies |website=[[Publishers Weekly]] |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/print/20010423/32877-die-hard-with-fairies.html |access-date=November 14, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127103326/https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/print/20010423/32877-die-hard-with-fairies.html |archive-date=January 27, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="PopMatters">{{cite web|last= Lanzagorta |first=Marco |title=The Perfect Lean, Mean, Macho Machine |url= https://www.popmatters.com/the-diehard-series-2496186685.html |website= [[PopMatters]] |date=March 25, 2008 |access-date=June 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191001061218/https://people.com/movies/die-hard-bonnie-bedelia-bruce-willis-distracted-demi-moore/ |archive-date=October 1, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="Premiere">{{cite web|url=http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/heather-graham-during-die-hard-los-angeles-premiere-july-12-news-photo/106860681 |title=''Die Hard'' Los Angeles Premiere – July 12, 1988 |publisher=[[Getty Images]] |date=July 12, 1988 |access-date=July 7, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023061953/http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/heather-graham-during-die-hard-los-angeles-premiere-july-12-news-photo/106860681 |archive-date=October 23, 2013 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="RadioTimesHearing">{{cite web|first=Daniel |last=Furn |title=30 ''Die Hard'' Facts You May Not Know About The Christmas Classic |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/2019-12-19/die-hard-trivia-facts/ |date=December 19, 2019 |website=[[Radio Times]] |access-date=December 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201223113913/https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/2019-12-19/die-hard-trivia-facts/ |archive-date=December 23, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="RadioTimesXmas">{{cite web|first=Thomas |last=Ling |title=''Die Hard'' Christmas Debate Is Over As Super-festive Official Trailer Reminds Us It's 'The Greatest Christmas Story Ever Told' |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/news/film/2019-12-06/die-hard-christmas-film-movie/ |date=December 6, 2019 |website=[[Radio Times]] |access-date=June 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200106023937/https://www.radiotimes.com/news/film/2019-12-06/die-hard-christmas-film-movie/ |archive-date=January 6, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="ReadersEmpire">{{cite web|url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/best-movies/|title=The 100 Greatest Movies|website= [[Empire (film magazine)|Empire]]|date=March 20, 2018 |access-date=June 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181013202030/https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/best-movies/|archive-date=October 13, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="ReaderVoteRollingStone">{{cite web|first=Andy |last=Greene |title=Readers' Poll: The 10 Best Action Movies Of All Time |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-lists/readers-poll-the-10-best-action-movies-of-all-time-152907/die-hard-170459/ |date=January 14, 2015 |website=[[Rolling Stone]] |access-date=June 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200622222558/https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-lists/readers-poll-the-10-best-action-movies-of-all-time-152907/mad-max-2-the-road-warrior-171439/ | archive-date=June 22, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="ReviewRogerEbert">{{cite web|first=Roger |last=Ebert |author-link=Roger Ebert |title=''Die Hard'' | url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/die-hard-1988 |website=[[RogerEbert.com]] |date=July 15, 1988 |access-date=June 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609085703/https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/die-hard-1988 |archive-date=June 9, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="ReviewCanby">{{cite web|first=Vincent |last=Canby |author-link=Vincent Canby |title=Film View; ''Die Hard'' Calls To The Kidult |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/07/31/movies/film-view-die-hard-calls-to-the-kidult.html |website=[[The New York Times]] |date=July 31, 1988 |access-date=June 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607211159/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/07/31/movies/film-view-die-hard-calls-to-the-kidult.html?searchResultPosition=804 |archive-date=June 7, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="ReviewHinson">{{cite web|first=Hal |last=Hinson |author-link=Hal Hinson |title=''Die Hard'' |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/diehardrhinson_a0c8da.htm |website=[[The Washington Post]] |date=July 15, 1988 |access-date=June 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200614070937/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/diehardrhinson_a0c8da.htm |archive-date=June 14, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="ReviewDesson">{{cite web|first=Desson |last=Howe |author-link=Desson Thomson |title=''Die Hard'' |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/diehardrhowe_a0b1af.htm
 |website=[[The Washington Post]] |date=July 15, 1988 |access-date=June 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190709084535/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/diehardrhowe_a0b1af.htm |archive-date=July 9, 2019 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="ReviewSchickel">{{cite web|first=Richard |last=Schickel |author-link=Richard Schickel |title=Cinema: Is There Life In Shoot-To-Thrill?|url=https://time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,967969-2,00.html |website=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |access-date=June 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091213033857/https://time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,967969-2,00.html |archive-date=December 13, 2009 |url-status=dead |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="ReviewNYT">{{cite web|first=Caryn |last=James |author-link=Caryn James |title=''Die Hard'' (1988) Review |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/11/movies/die-hard-review.html |website=[[The New York Times]] |date=July 15, 1988 |access-date=June 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190103092313/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/11/movies/die-hard-review.html |archive-date=January 3, 2019 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="ReviewChicagoTribune">{{cite web|first=Dave |last=Kehr |author-link=Dave Kehr |title=Sleek ''Die Hard'' Tools Action Film To Perfection |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1988-07-15-8801150176-story.html |website=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=July 15, 1988 |access-date=June 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200625220441/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1988-07-15-8801150176-story.html |archive-date=June 25, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="ReviewLATimes">{{cite web|first=Kevin |last=Thomas |author-link=Kevin Thomas (film critic) |title= Movie Reviews : ''Die Hard'' A Slick Flick for Bruce Willis |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-07-15-ca-6951-story.html |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=July 15, 1988 |access-date=June 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200605134448/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-07-15-ca-6951-story.html |archive-date=June 5, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="RevVariety">{{cite web |title=''Die Hard'' | url=https://variety.com/review/VE1117790433.html?categoryid=31&cs=1 |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=January 1, 1988 |access-date=June 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070613150038/https://variety.com/review/VE1117790433.html?categoryid=31&cs=1 |archive-date=June 13, 2007 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="RollingStoneBird">{{cite web|first=Brad |last=Bird |author-link=Brad Bird | title=Why the OG ''Die Hard'' Still Rules|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-news/why-the-og-die-hard-still-rules-246081/ |website=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=February 14, 2013 |access-date=November 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112010956/https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-news/why-the-og-die-hard-still-rules-246081/ |archive-date=November 12, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="RottenTomatoes">{{Cite Rotten Tomatoes |id={{RT data|rtid|noprefix=y}} |type=m |title=Die Hard |access-date={{RT data|access date}} |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171221005952/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/die_hard/ |archive-date=December 21, 2017 |url-status=live |publisher_hide=yes}}{{RT data|edit}}</ref>

<ref name="RTGoodday">{{Cite Rotten Tomatoes |id={{RT data|rtid|noprefix=y|title=A Good Day to Die Hard}} |type=m |title=A Good Day to Die Hard |access-date={{RT data|access date|title=A Good Day to Die Hard}} |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411180430/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/a_good_day_to_die_hard/ |archive-date=April 11, 2013 |url-status=live |publisher_hide=yes}}{{RT data|edit|title=A Good Day to Die Hard}}</ref>

<ref name="RTSequels">{{cite web |url=https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/all-die-hard-movies-ranked/ |title=All ''Die Hard'' Movies, Ranked By Tomatometer |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |access-date=June 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200617163125/https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/all-die-hard-movies-ranked/|archive-date=June 17, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="Runtime">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/die-hard-5 |title=''Die Hard'' |publisher=[[British Board of Film Classification]] |date=August 8, 1988 |access-date=July 7, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023060246/http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/die-hard-5 |archive-date=October 23, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

<ref name="ScreenRantMerch">{{cite web |first=Kayleena |last=Pierce-Bohen |title=10 Gifts For Fans Of ''Die Hard''|url=https://screenrant.com/die-hard-gift-guide/ |website= [[Screen Rant]] |date=April 21, 2019 |access-date=June 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200529043954/https://screenrant.com/die-hard-gift-guide/ |archive-date=May 29, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="SequelsNPR">{{cite web |first=Chris |last=Klimek |title=A Die-Hard's Guide To ''Die Hard'': 25 Years Of Sweat, Dirt And Blowing Stuff Up |url=https://www.npr.org/2013/02/14/171996627/a-die-hards-guide-to-die-hard-25-years-of-sweat-dirt-and-blowing-stuff-up |publisher= [[NPR]] |date=February 14, 2013 |access-date=June 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200617171819/https://www.npr.org/2013/02/14/171996627/a-die-hards-guide-to-die-hard-25-years-of-sweat-dirt-and-blowing-stuff-up |archive-date=June 17, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="SequelsScreenRant">{{cite web|first=Zak|last=Wojnar |title=The Strange History Of The ''Die Hard'' Movies |url=https://screenrant.com/die-hard-movies-ranked-worst-best/ |website=[[Screen Rant]] |date=April 18, 2020 |access-date=June 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200425110249/https://screenrant.com/die-hard-movies-ranked-worst-best/ |archive-date=April 25, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="SlashDeBont">{{cite web |first=Ben |last=Pearson |title=''Die Hard'' 30th Anniversary: The Cast And Crew Reflect On The Making Of An Action Classic – Jan De Bont ''Die Hard'' Interview |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/die-hard-interviews/ |website= [[/Film]] |date=July 12, 2018|access-date=June 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200103002050/https://www.slashfilm.com/die-hard-interviews/|archive-date=January 3, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="SlashFilmDirectors">{{cite web|first=Ben |last=Pearson |title=11 Modern Filmmakers Explain How ''Die Hard'' Influenced Them [Updated] |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/die-hard-influence/ |website=[[/Film]] |date=July 13, 2018 |access-date=June 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200426035349/https://www.slashfilm.com/die-hard-influence/ |archive-date=April 26, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="SlashFilmSouza">{{cite web |first=Ben |last=Pearson |title=''Die Hard'' 30th Anniversary: The Cast and Crew Reflect on the Making of an Action Classic – Steven E. de Souza ''Die Hard'' Interview
|url=https://www.slashfilm.com/die-hard-interviews/2/ |website= [[/Film]] |date=July 12, 2018|access-date=June 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218081919/https://www.slashfilm.com/die-hard-interviews/2/ |archive-date=December 18, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="SlashFilmVelJohnson">{{cite web |first=Ben |last=Pearson |title=''Die Hard'' 30th Anniversary: The Cast and Crew Reflect on the Making of an Action Classic – Reginald VelJohnson Interview
|url=https://www.slashfilm.com/die-hard-interviews/3/ |website= [[/Film]] |date=July 12, 2018|access-date=June 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191206071223/https://www.slashfilm.com/die-hard-interviews/3/ |archive-date=December 6, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="SlashSnipes">{{cite web |first=Fred |last=Topel |title=Wesley Snipes Auditioned for Al Powell and More Stories from a ''Die Hard'' 30th Anniversary Screening |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/die-hard-anniversary-screening-trivia/|website= [[/Film]] |date=March 13, 2018|access-date=July 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210629112823/https://www.slashfilm.com/die-hard-anniversary-screening-trivia/ |archive-date=June 29, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="Smithsonian">{{cite web |last=Crawford |first=Amy |url=http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/willis.html |title=''Die Hard'' Donation |date=July 1, 2007 |website=[[Smithsonian (magazine)|Smithsonian]]|access-date=September 10, 2010 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120909191903/http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/willis.html |archive-date=September 9, 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name="StartTVBedelia">{{cite web |title=Bruce Willis Personally Picked Bonnie Bedelia As His ''Die Hard'' Costar |url=https://www.starttv.com/stories/bonnie-bedelia-die-hard |publisher= [[Start TV]] |date=December 19, 2018 |access-date=June 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200612130711/https://www.starttv.com/stories/bonnie-bedelia-die-hard |archive-date=June 12, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="TheGuardianThemes">{{cite web |first=Scott |last=Tobias |title=''Die Hard'' At 30: How It Remains The Quintessential American Action Movie |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/jul/12/die-hard-30th-anniversary-quintessential-action-movie |website= [[The Guardian]] |date=July 12, 2018|access-date=June 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200502095658/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/jul/12/die-hard-30th-anniversary-quintessential-action-movie |archive-date=May 2, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="TheNumbersWeekofJuly22">{{cite web|title=Weekend Domestic Chart For July 22, 1988 |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/box-office-chart/weekend/1988/07/22 |publisher=[[The Numbers (website)|The Numbers]] |access-date=June 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607125448/https://www.the-numbers.com/box-office-chart/weekend/1988/07/22 |archive-date=June 7, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="TheNumbers1988Domestic">{{cite web |title=Top 1988 Movies At The Domestic Box Office |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/box-office-records/domestic/all-movies/cumulative/released-in-1988 |publisher=[[The Numbers (website)|The Numbers]] |access-date=June 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419152414/https://www.the-numbers.com/box-office-records/domestic/all-movies/cumulative/released-in-1988 |archive-date=April 19, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="TheNumbersSummary">{{cite web |title=''Die Hard'' (1988) – Summary |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Die-Hard#tab=summary|publisher=[[The Numbers (website)|The Numbers]] |access-date= June 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607125442/https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Die-Hard#tab=summary |archive-date=June 7, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="TheNumbersOveralL">{{cite web |title=''Die Hard'' (1988) – Box Office |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Die-Hard#tab=box-office |publisher=[[The Numbers (website)|The Numbers]] |access-date=June 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607125442/https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Die-Hard |archive-date=June 7, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="TheNumbersWeek3">{{cite web|title=Weekend Domestic Chart For July 29, 1988|url=https://www.the-numbers.com/box-office-chart/weekend/1988/07/29 |publisher=[[The Numbers (website)|The Numbers]] |access-date=June 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607125441/https://www.the-numbers.com/box-office-chart/weekend/1988/07/29 |archive-date=June 7, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="TheNumbersWorldwide">{{cite web |title=Top 1988 Movies At The Worldwide Box Office |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/box-office-records/worldwide/all-movies/cumulative/released-in-1988 |publisher=[[The Numbers (website)|The Numbers]] |access-date=June 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419152414/https://www.the-numbers.com/box-office-records/worldwide/all-movies/cumulative/released-in-1988 |archive-date=April 19, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="Thornburg1">{{cite web|first1=Danny |last1=King |first2=Silas |last2=Valentino |title=The Ten Absolute Worst Journalists In The Movies |url=https://www.villagevoice.com/2015/07/13/the-ten-absolute-worst-journalists-in-the-movies/ |website=[[The Village Voice]]|date=July 13, 2015 | access-date=November 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808234223/https://www.villagevoice.com/2015/07/13/the-ten-absolute-worst-journalists-in-the-movies/ |archive-date=August 8, 2020 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name="THR2018Retrospective">{{cite web|first=Josh |last=Spiegel |title=Why ''Skyscraper'' Couldn't Match ''Die Hard'' |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/skyscraper-why-rock-couldnt-top-die-hard-1127068 |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=July 14, 2018| access-date=April 4, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180717100440/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/skyscraper-why-rock-couldnt-top-die-hard-1127068 |archive-date=July 17, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="THRCast">{{cite web|first=Omar |last=Sanchez |title=The Cast Of ''Die Hard'', Then And Now |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/die-hard-cast-now-bruce-willis-alan-rickman-more-1123940 |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=July 13, 2018| access-date=November 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218105001/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/die-hard-cast-now-bruce-willis-alan-rickman-more-1123940 |archive-date=December 18, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="THRJun14">{{cite web| title=Hollywood's 100 Favorite Films | url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/100-best-films-ever-hollywood-favorites-818512/item/amadeus-hollywoods-100-favorite-films-818460 | date=June 25, 2014 | website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]| access-date=July 5, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171020184656/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/100-best-films-ever-hollywood-favorites-818512/item/amadeus-hollywoods-100-favorite-films-818460 |archive-date=October 20, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="Thrillist">{{cite web| first=Ian |last=Failes |title=The Science Project That Resulted In ''Die Hard''{{'s}} Most Killer Stunt |url=https://www.thrillist.com/entertainment/nation/die-hard-30th-anniversary |date=August 13, 2018 |website=[[Thrillist]] |access-date=June 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191023065128/https://www.thrillist.com/entertainment/nation/die-hard-30th-anniversary |archive-date=October 23, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="THRReagan">{{cite web| first=Andy |last=Lewis |title=Inside Ronald Reagan's Century City ''Die Hard'' Office |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/inside-ronald-reagans-die-hard-635440 |date=September 26, 2013 |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |access-date=June 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200502100334/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/inside-ronald-reagans-die-hard-635440 |archive-date=May 2, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="USATOdayPopCulture">{{cite web |first=Hannah |last=Yasharoff |title=30 Pop-Culture References That Prove ''Die Hard'' Is As Awesome As Ever, 30 Years Later |url=https://eu.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2018/07/13/die-hard-turns-30-our-30-favorite-pop-culture-references/768321002/ |website=[[USA Today]] |date=December 15, 2019 |access-date=June 18, 2020 |archive-url= https://archive.today/20200618093738/https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2018/07/13/die-hard-turns-30-our-30-favorite-pop-culture-references/768321002/ |archive-date=June 18, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="VanityFairat30">{{cite web| first=K. Austin |last=Collins |title=''Die Hard'' Is As Brilliantly Engineered As A Machine Gun, Even 30 Years Later |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/07/die-hard-30th-anniversary-bruce-willis-john-mcclane |date=July 13, 2018 |website=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]] |access-date=June 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200612190115/https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/07/die-hard-30th-anniversary-bruce-willis-john-mcclane |archive-date=June 12, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="VarietyLoaded">{{cite web |first=Lawrence |last=Cohen |title=National Lampoon's ''Loaded Weapon 1'' |url=https://variety.com/1993/film/reviews/national-lampoon-s-loaded-weapon-1-2-1200431565/ |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=February 7, 1993 |access-date=June 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200623103102/https://variety.com/1993/film/reviews/national-lampoon-s-loaded-weapon-1-2-1200431565/undefined |archive-date=June 23, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="VarietyBook">{{cite web| first1=James |last1=Mottram |first2=David S. |last2=Cohen |title=Book Excerpt: Inside The Making Of ''Die Hard'' 30 Years Later |url=https://variety.com/2018/film/news/die-hard-ultimate-visual-history-making-of-movie-book-1203017890/ |date=November 5, 2018 |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |access-date=June 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200407041427/https://variety.com/2018/film/news/die-hard-ultimate-visual-history-making-of-movie-book-1203017890/ |archive-date=April 7, 2020 |url-status=live|ref=none}}</ref>

<ref name="VarietyRentals">{{cite web |title=Rental Champs: Rate of return |url=https://variety.com/1997/digital/features/rental-champs-rate-of-return-1116680329/ |date=December 15, 1997 |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |access-date=April 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190607025242/https://variety.com/1997/digital/features/rental-champs-rate-of-return-1116680329/ |archive-date=June 7, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="VideoGameEuro">{{cite web| first=Martyn |last=Carroll |title=Retrospective: ''Die Hard Trilogy''|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-05-08-retrospective-die-hard-trilogy-article|date=October 25, 2011 |website=[[Eurogamer]] |access-date=June 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200617220645/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-05-08-retrospective-die-hard-trilogy-article |archive-date=June 17, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="VideoGameHardCore">{{cite web| first=Jason |last=Bohn |title=Lowered Expectations: ''Die Hard'' (NES) |url=https://hardcoregamer.com/2016/12/19/lowered-expectations-die-hard-nes/240081/ |date=December 19, 2016 |website=Hardcore Gamer |access-date=June 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200617220755/https://hardcoregamer.com/2016/12/19/lowered-expectations-die-hard-nes/240081/ |archive-date=June 17, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="VideoGameRevolut">{{cite web| first=Tyler |last=Treese |title=Diving Into ''Die Hard''{{'s}} Many Game Adaptations |url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/features/476909-die-hard-video-games |date=January 1, 2019 |website=[[GameRevolution]] |access-date=June 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200617220855/https://www.gamerevolution.com/features/476909-die-hard-video-games |archive-date=June 17, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="VideoGameVB">{{cite web| first=Stan |last=Rezaee|title=Yippee Ki-Yay: The legacy Of ''Die Hard'' games |url=https://venturebeat.com/community/2013/06/23/playing-it-old-school-yippee-ki-yay-gamers/ |date=June 23, 2013 |website=[[VentureBeat]] |access-date=June 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200617221130/https://venturebeat.com/community/2013/06/23/playing-it-old-school-yippee-ki-yay-gamers/ |archive-date=June 17, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="VideoGameVice">{{cite web| first=Ed |last=Smith |title=Twenty Years Later, ''Die Hard'' Trilogy Shows Us How Video Games Can 'Do Movies' Right |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/twenty-years-later-die-hard-trilogy-shows-us-how-games-can-do-movies-right/ |date=September 16, 2016 |website=[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]] |access-date=June 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200617221243/https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/yvje3b/twenty-years-later-die-hard-trilogy-shows-us-how-games-can-do-movies-right |archive-date=June 17, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="VultureJul16">{{cite web |first=Violet |last=Ramis Stiel |title=On My Dad Harold Ramis And Passing The ''Ghostbusters'' Torch to A New Generation Of Fans |url=https://www.vulture.com/2016/07/on-my-dad-harold-ramis-and-passing-the-ghostbusters-torch-to-a-new-generation-of-fans.html |website=[[Vulture (website)|Vulture]] |date=July 14, 2016 |access-date=July 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181008042244/http://www.vulture.com/2016/07/on-my-dad-harold-ramis-and-passing-the-ghostbusters-torch-to-a-new-generation-of-fans.html |archive-date=October 8, 2018 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="VultureRoofStunt">{{cite web| first=Simon |last=Abrams |title=''Die Hard''{{'s}} Director Breaks Down Bruce Willis's Iconic Roof Jump |url=https://www.vulture.com/2018/11/die-hards-director-breaks-down-bruce-williss-roof-jump.html |date=November 12, 2018 |website=[[Vulture (website)|Vulture]] |access-date=June 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200501094331/https://www.vulture.com/2018/11/die-hards-director-breaks-down-bruce-williss-roof-jump.html |archive-date=May 1, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="VultureRetro">{{cite web| first=Jason |last=Bailey |title=How ''Die Hard'' Changed The Action Game|url=https://www.vulture.com/2018/07/how-die-hard-changed-the-action-game.html |date=July 10, 2018 |website=[[Vulture (website)|Vulture]] |access-date=June 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607172117/https://www.vulture.com/2018/07/how-die-hard-changed-the-action-game.html |archive-date=June 7, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="VultureTidbits">{{cite web| first=Steve |last=Marsh |title=10 ''Die Hard'' Tidbits We Learned From Its Biggest Scene-Stealers |url=https://www.vulture.com/2013/07/die-hard-scene-stealers-tidbits.html |date=July 16, 2013 |website=[[Vulture (website)|Vulture]] |access-date=June 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161207135042/https://www.vulture.com/2013/07/die-hard-scene-stealers-tidbits.html |archive-date=December 7, 2016 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="WaPoXmas">{{cite web|first1=Eli |last1=Rosenberg |first2=Alex |last2=Horton |title=''Die Hard'' Isn't Just A Christmas Movie – It's The Best Ever, According To Its Hollywood Distributor |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2018/12/20/die-hard-isnt-just-christmas-movie-its-best-ever-according-th-century-fox/ |date=December 25, 2017 |website=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=June 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200218185927/https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2018/12/20/die-hard-isnt-just-christmas-movie-its-best-ever-according-th-century-fox/ |archive-date=February 18, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

<ref name="YouGovPoll">{{Cite web |title=Do You Consider A Movie That Takes Place At Christmas Time, But Is Not About Christmas Itself, To Be A Christmas Movie? |url=https://yougov.co.uk/topics/lifestyle/survey-results/daily/2017/12/04/2d592/1 |date=December 4, 2017 |website=[[YouGov]] |access-date=June 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200614212551/https://yougov.co.uk/topics/lifestyle/survey-results/daily/2017/12/04/2d592/1|archive-date=June 14, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="YouGovIndependent">{{Cite web |first=Clarisse |last=Loughrey |title=YouGov Poll Claims ''Die Hard'' Isn't A Christmas Film |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/die-hard-is-the-best-christmas-film-top-films-to-watch-holiday-poll-list-not-a8092761.html |date=December 5, 2017 |website=[[The Independent]] |access-date=June 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200502144237/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/die-hard-is-the-best-christmas-film-top-films-to-watch-holiday-poll-list-not-a8092761.html |archive-date=May 2, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>
}}

===Works cited===
{{div col|colwidth=35em}}
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite journal| first=Elizabeth |last=Abele |title=Assuming a True Identity: Re-/De-Constructing Hollywood Heroes. |journal=Journal of American & Comparative Cultures |publisher=[[Wiley-Blackwell]] |volume=25 |issue=3/4 |pages=447–454| date=Fall 2002 |location=[[Hoboken, New Jersey]] |doi=10.1111/1542-734X.00065}}
* {{cite news | last =Andrews | first =Marke | date =July 16, 1988 | title =Stupid Title But ''Die Hard'' Is Fine Flick | url =https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/495003257/ | url-access =limited | work =[[Vancouver Sun]] | location =[[Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]] | access-date =March 31, 2021 | page =3}}
* {{cite journal |first=Drew |last=Ayers |title=Bodies, Bullets, and Bad Guys: Elements of the Hardbody Film |journal=[[Film Criticism (journal)|Film Criticism]] |publisher=[[Allegheny College]] |volume=32 |issue=3 |pages=41–67 |date=Spring 2008 |location=[[Meadville, Pennsylvania]] |jstor=24777394 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/24777394 |access-date=November 16, 2020}}
* {{cite journal |first=Kevin Alexander |last=Boon |title=Heroes, Metanarratives, and the Paradox of Masculinity in Contemporary Western Culture |journal=[[The Journal of Men's Studies]] |publisher=[[SAGE Publishing]] |volume=13 |issue=3 |page=301+ |date=Spring 2005 |url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A133186564/ITOF?u=nysl_sc_flls&sid=ITOF&xid=a670e167 |access-date=November 16, 2020 |location=[[Thousand Oaks, California]] |doi=10.3149/jms.1303.301 |s2cid=145468155|url-access=subscription }}
* {{cite news | last =Boyar | first =Jay | date =July 23, 1988 | title =Energy Level High And Mighty In ''Die Hard'' | url =https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/230433883/ | url-access =limited | work =[[Orlando Sentinel]] | location =[[Orlando, Florida]] | access-date =March 31, 2021 | page =51}}
* {{cite journal |first=Jeffrey A. |last=Brown |title=Gender and the Action Heroine: Hardbodies and the 'Point of No Return' |journal=[[Journal of Cinema and Media Studies]] |publisher=[[University of Texas Press]] |volume=35 |issue=3 |pages=52–71 |date=Spring 1996 |location=[[Austin, Texas]] |doi=10.2307/1225765|jstor=1225765 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/1225765 |access-date=November 16, 2020|url-access=subscription }}
* {{cite news | last =Cidoni | first =Mike | date =July 22, 1988 | title =Willis Wows 'Em In The Action-Packed Exciting ''Die Hard'' | url =https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/114288010/ | url-access =limited | work =[[Poughkeepsie Journal]] | location =[[Poughkeepsie, New York]] | access-date =March 31, 2021 | page =3D}}
* {{cite thesis |first=Sterling |last=Crowe |title=Dying Hard: Reasserting American Strength Through Popular Action Films, 1984–1989. |url=http://libfiles.nipissingu.ca/HDI/Theses%20&%20Dissertations/not%20yet%20catalogued/dying%20hard.pdf |publisher=[[Nipissing University]] |year=2011 |location=[[North Bay, Ontario]] |doi= |jstor= |access-date=March 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210327224917/http://libfiles.nipissingu.ca/HDI/Theses%20%26%20Dissertations/not%20yet%20catalogued/dying%20hard.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2021 |url-status=live}}
* {{cite news | last =Denerstein | first =Robert | date =July 26, 1988 | title =''Die Hard'' Is One Wild, Crazy Movie | url =https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/147266363/ | url-access =limited | work =[[The Republic (Columbus, Indiana)|The Republic]] | location =[[Columbus, Indiana]] | access-date =March 31, 2021 | page =16}}
* {{cite magazine |last=Durnford |first=Mark J. |title=''Die Hard'': The Original |magazine=[[Film Score Monthly]] |issue=58 |date=June 1995 |page=16 |publisher=Lukas Kendall |location=[[Los Angeles]], [[California]] |url=https://www.filmscoremonthly.com/backissues/viewissue.cfm?issueID=163 |access-date=June 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191226094801/https://www.filmscoremonthly.com/backissues/viewissue.cfm?issueID=163 |archive-date=December 26, 2019}}
* {{cite magazine|last=Groves|first=Don | magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |location=United States |date=August 9, 1989|title=UIP Up, Up and Away for Year; Rentals Take Off|volume=336 |issue=4}}
* {{cite news | last =Huffhines | first =Kathy | date =July 20, 1988 | title =''Die Hard'' Recharges The Action Movie Scene | url =https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/99588166/ | url-access =limited | work =[[Detroit Free Press]] | location =[[Detroit]], [[Michigan]] | access-date =March 31, 2021 | page =22 }}
* {{cite news | last =Lawson | first =Terry | date =July 20, 1988 | title =''Die Hard'' Is Pack Of Energy | url =https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/406913954/ | url-access =limited | work =[[Dayton Daily News]] | location =[[Dayton, Ohio]] | access-date =March 30, 2021 | page =32 8C }}
* {{cite journal |first=Eric |last=Lichtenfield |title=''Die Hard'' |url=https://www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-film-preservation-board/documents/DieHard.pdf |publisher=[[Library of Congress]] |year=2017 |location=[[Washington, D.C.]], United States |access-date=June 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200502143638/https://www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-film-preservation-board/documents/DieHard.pdf |archive-date=May 2, 2020 |url-status=live |journal=National Film Preservation Board Documents }}
* {{cite book|last=Lucas |first=Barbara |title=Changing Representations of Minorities East and West: Selected Essays: No. 11 (Literary Studies East & West) |chapter=Sentimental Racism In Recent Films |year=1996 |publisher=[[University of Hawaii Press]] |location=[[Honolulu]] | isbn=978-0-8248-1861-6}}
* {{cite news | last =Mills | first =James | date =July 21, 1988 | title =Third Attempts From Bruce Willis Proves He Is ''Die Hard'' | url =https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/67778670/ | url-access =limited | work =[[The Daily Tar Heel]] | location =[[Chapel Hill, North Carolina]] | access-date =March 31, 2021 | page =5 }}
* {{cite book |last1=Mottram |first1=James |last2=Cohen |first2=David S.|year=2018 |title=Die Hard: The Ultimate Visual History |url= |location=[[Bankside]], London|publisher=[[Titan Publishing Group|Titan Books]] |page= |isbn= 978-1-7890-9051-2}}
* {{cite journal| first=Peter F. |last=Parshall |title=''Die Hard'' and the American Mythos |journal=[[Journal of Popular Film & Television]] |publisher=[[Taylor & Francis]] |volume=18 |issue=4 |pages=135–144| date=Winter 1991 |location=[[Oxfordshire]], United Kingdom |doi=10.1080/01956051.1991.10662027 }}
* {{cite journal |first=Darin |last=Payne |title=Shifting Gears and Paradigms at the Movies: Masculinity, Automobility, and the Rhetorical Dimensions of ''Mad Max: Fury Road'' |journal=Studies in Popular Culture |publisher=Popular Culture Association in the South |volume=40 |issue=1 |pages=102–135 |date=Fall 2017 |location=United States |jstor=44779945 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44779945 |access-date=November 16, 2020 }}
* {{cite news | last =Ringel | first =Eleanor | date =July 31, 1988 | title =What The Movies Need Are A Few Incredibly Bad Men | url =https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/400314942/ | url-access =limited | work =[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]] | location =[[Dunwoody, Georgia]] | access-date =March 31, 2021 | pages =189, 194, 195 }}
* {{cite news | last =Ryan | first =Desmond | date =July 15, 1988 | title =Bruce Willis Gives ''Die Hard'' A Lift | url =https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/247196257/ | url-access =limited | work =[[Tallahassee Democrat]] | location =[[Tallahassee, Florida]] | access-date =March 31, 2021 | page =51 }}
* {{cite journal |first=Jillian |last=Sandell |title=Reinventing Masculinity: The Spectacle of Male Intimacy in the Films of John Woo |journal=[[Film Quarterly]] |publisher=[[University of California Press]] |volume=18 |issue=4 |pages=23–34 |date=Summer 1996 |location=[[Berkeley, California]] |doi=10.2307/1213555 |jstor=1213555 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/1213555 |access-date=November 16, 2020 |url-access=subscription }}
* {{cite book|last=Schneider|first=Steven Jay|title=[[1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die]]|chapter=1980s|year=2013|publisher=[[Murdoch Books]] Pty Limited|location=[[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]] | isbn=978-0-7641-6613-6 }}
* {{cite magazine |last=Shivers |first=Will |title=Kamen Hard |magazine=[[Film Score Monthly]] |issue=58 |date=June 1995 |pages=12–15 |publisher=Lukas Kendall |location=[[Los Angeles]], [[California]] |url=https://www.filmscoremonthly.com/backissues/viewissue.cfm?issueID=163 |access-date=June 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191226094801/https://www.filmscoremonthly.com/backissues/viewissue.cfm?issueID=163 |archive-date=December 26, 2019 }}
* {{cite journal |first=Robynn J. |last=Stilwell |title='I Just Put a Drone under Him...': Collage and Subversion in the Score of ''Die Hard'' |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/737639 |journal=[[Music & Letters]] |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |volume=78 |number=4 |pages=551–580 |date=November 1997 |location=[[Oxford]], England |doi=10.1093/ml/78.4.551 |jstor=737639 |access-date=November 16, 2020 |url-access=subscription }}
* {{cite news | last =Willistein | first =Paul | date =July 22, 1988 | title =Bruce Willis A Die-Hard For Privacy | url =https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/282988086/ | url-access =limited | work =[[The Morning Call]] | location =[[Allentown, Pennsylvania]] | access-date =March 31, 2021 | page =50 D | ref ={{sfnref|WillisteinD|1988|Page=50 D}} }}
* {{cite news | last =Willistein | first =Paul | date =July 22, 1988 | title =Expect Big Action For ''Die Hard'' At The Box Office | url =https://www.newspapers.com/image/282988143 | url-access =limited | work =[[The Morning Call]] | location =[[Allentown, Pennsylvania]] | access-date =March 31, 2021 | page =51 D2 | ref ={{sfnref|WillisteinD2|1988|Page=51 D2}} }}
{{refend}}
{{div col end}}

== External links ==
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* {{AFI film}}

{{Die Hard}}
{{John McTiernan}}
{{Steven E. de Souza}}
{{Blue Ribbon Award for Best Foreign Film}}
{{Japan Academy Film Prize for Outstanding Foreign Language Film}}
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