Few action film franchises have had the staying power of theDie Hardseries, which has just found its latest streaming home. With five entries from 1988 to 2013, protagonist John McClane has seen a lot of action over the years, and the character has taken his place among the most iconic heroes in action cinema, standing alongside the likes of other great Johns such asKeanu Reeves' John WickandSylvester Stallone’s John Rambo. While not every entry has been highly acclaimed or successful, each adds something different to the formula, both for better or worse.
TheDie Hardseries launched the action career of starBruce Willis, who had previously been known primarily for his comedic roles in the hit television seriesMoonlightingand the 1987 comedy filmBlind Date, where Willis starred oppositeKim Basinger.The firstDie Hardmovie alsolaunched the career of the late Alan Rickman,who would later go on to star in yet another huge franchise, theHarry Potterseries, where he portrayed Professor Severus Snape.Die Hardhas offered so much to the world of cinema overall, and continue reading if you’d like to know where you’re able to stream each of John McClane’s adventures.
Die Hard Movies in Order of Release Date
Die Hard Movies in Chronological Order of Events
‘Die Hard’
The one that started it all, the originalDie Hard,remains one of the best and most iconic action films of all time,andit is now streaming on Hulu, along with its four sequels. Upon our first meeting with Willis' John McClane, he’s a struggling New York cop on the fringe of divorce from his wife, when he decides to accept her invite to an office Christmas party at Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles. All the while, a group of terrorists led byAlan Rickman’s Hans Gruberhijack the tower and take McClane’s wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia) and her co-workers hostage. McClane, being the only one left in the building not accounted for, must become an unlikely hero and save the day in what is still an exhilarating rush from beginning to end.
Die Hardwas the highest-grossing action movie of 1988, and the film garnered four Academy Award nominations for Best Sound, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Effects Editing, and Best Visual Effects. Critics weren’t nearly as kind to John McTiernan’s masterpiece upon release, however, as it received rather mixed reviews before being reappraised years later to the immense acclaim it deserves.Die Hardwas released as a summer blockbuster in July of ‘88, but it has since become a major Christmas classic, often being viewed around the holidays alongside more conventional holiday favorites, which is one of a million things that make it an all-timer.
New York City policeman John McClane (Bruce Willis) is visiting his estranged wife (Bonnie Bedelia) and two daughters on Christmas Eve. He joins her at a holiday party in the headquarters of the Japanese-owned business she works for. But the festivities are interrupted by a group of terrorists who take over the exclusive high-rise, and everyone in it. Very soon McClane realizes that there’s no one to save the hostages – but him.
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‘Die Hard 2’
Die Hard 2(also referred to asDie Hard 2: Die Harder) is a rock-solid follow-up to its incomparable predecessor, andit is also streaming now on Hulu. The sequel once more followed John McClane as he takes on another group of terrorists, this time in a Washington, D.C.-based airport, where planes have been forced to fly over the airport with no way to land, on the verge of running out of fuel. McClane’s adversary this time around was Col. William Stuart, played byWilliam Sadler.Stuart is easily the most unhinged of John McClane’s foes throughout the series, and he presents an unpredictable threat to McClane and the innocents trapped in this hostage situation.
Die Hard2exceeded expectations at the box office, doubling the gross of the original movie, and by the end of 1990, it was the seventh highest-grossing movie of the year. Critics were easier on this one, as the sequel received mostly positive reviews upon release, primarily praising the action and tone of the film.Die Hard 2remains a well-liked entry in this franchise and yet another fun Christmas action flick, but it admittedly fails to capture that same indescribable magic of the original, which it never really stood a chance at.
Die Hard 2: Die Harder
John McClane attempts to avert disaster as rogue military operatives seize control of Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C.
‘Die Hard with a Vengeance’
The third film in theDie Hardseries, which is also streaming on Hulu, found Bruce Willis teaming up withSamuel L. Jacksonto take down the brother of Hans Gruber, Simon, played byAcademy Award-winnerJeremy Irons. The film is the first to be set in New York, where McClane is finally seen in his own jurisdiction as he plays a literal game of ‘Simon Says’, hopefully leading him to Gruber and putting a stop to his plans to rob the Federal Reserve Building. Along the way,McClane strikes up an unlikely partnership with Samuel L. Jackson’s Zeus, a Harlem-based store owner who gets mixed up with McClane’s race against time.
Die Hard with a Vengeancewas a smash hit at the box office, becoming the 10th highest-grossing movie of 1995 worldwide with a haul of $100 million, not adjusted for inflation. However, this entry didn’t do as well critically, receiving mixed reviews despite the return of John McTiernan behind the camera, asDie Hard 2was helmed by director Renny Harlin.It has since become a fan-favorite and is widely considered by many to be the best of theDie Hardsequels.
Die Hard: With a Vengeance
John McClane and a Harlem store owner are targeted by German terrorist Simon in New York City, where he plans to rob the Federal Reserve Building.
‘Live Free or Die Hard’
Arriving 12 years afterDie Hard with a Vengeance, 2007’sLive Free or Die Hard(streaming on Hulu) brought John McClane into a new generation as the New York City cop must join forces with a young hacker (Justin Long) to bring down cyberterroristThomas Gabriel, played by Timothy Olyphant. The choice to move the series into a more modern space and examine the growth of technology over the decades was a wise choice that helped this entry stand apart from the others.This was also the first and onlyDie Hardmovie to be rated PG-13, which also helps with the distinction of this film among the series.
Live Free or Die Hardended up being the highest-grossing movie in the entire series, grossing $388 million worldwide. Critics were far more positive in their consensus ofLive Free or Die Hardversus its predecessor, and it remains a generally liked entry among fans. The most controversial aspect of this fourth film was the PG-13 rating, which was amended for the fifth movie, for better or worse.
Live Free or Die Hard
‘A Good Day to Die Hard’
The fifth and finalDie Hardmovie was 2013’sA Good Day to Die Hard, alsostreaming on Hulu. This final entry sees John McClane teaming up with his now grown-up son Jack (Jai Courtney), who is revealed to be an undercover CIA operative on a mission in Russia. The two get mixed in with Russia’s underworld and end up in a race to stop World War III in what is easily the goofiest series entry by far.
A Good Day to Die Hardwas a complete disappointment across the board. While the fifthDie Hardmovie performed well enough overseas to get it just over $300 million worldwide, but only $67 million of that gross was from the United States, making it the lowest-grossing film in the series domestically. This wasn’t helped by the abysmal reception from both critics and audiences and the instant reputation of being the worst film in the franchise.Director John Moore’s vision for this film simply didn’t match the tone ofDie Hard,and the film ultimately comes off as a soulless cash-grab rather than a genuine John McClane adventure.
