It's the question that has divided moviegoers for 36 years: Is Die Hard a Christmas film? Fans of the acclaimed Bruce Willis action flick return to Nakatomi Plaza every year, as John McClane (Willis) fights his way through Hans Gruber's (Alan Rickman) terrorist group to save his wife on Christmas Day. (Fun fact: If you watch Die Hard after Love, Actually, you can enjoy Alan Rickman's karma for cheating on Emma Thompson in the latter movie.) To some, the film's Christmas setting is enough for Die Hard to qualify. But, naysayers and all-round humbugs cry that the guns, explosions, and Bruce Willis looking badass in a vest aren't what Christmas is actually about -- they've never been to Christmas with my family. Thankfully, the debate has been settled once and for all, as Bruce Willis himself has finally weighed in on the matter.
During the Roast of Bruce Willis (via @RealEmirHan on X) back in 2018, Bruce Willis closed the roast with a public service announcement about Die Hard. "Now please, listen very carefully," Willis began. The other guests, including Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Martha Stewart, all leaned in, worried about what the beloved action star was about to say. Then, Willis shouted:
"Die Hard is NOT a Christmas Movie!"
Bruce Willis continued, joking, "It's a god-damn Bruce Willis movie!" Just like Die Hard 4.0, Willis' announcement received a mix of cheers and confused noises from the audience. We don't want to tell a Hollywood legend who starred in the films in question that he's wrong. But... he's very, very wrong. It might not have real elves, reindeer, Santa Claus, or the Hallmark logo, but Die Hard is about a man trying to re-establish his love for his wife on Christmas day. If that's not the trappings of a Christmas film, then what is? Also, as the film is set in a major corporation in the 1980s, there's plenty of snow (just not the kind that falls from the sky).
'Die Hard' Fans React to Bruce Willis' Announcement Close
As you might expect, Die Hard fans were getting ready to crawl through their air vents to find Bruce Willis after his shocking betrayal. Underneath the post on social media, true-believers rushed to defend Die Hard, laying out strategic arguments about why the action-classic perfectly captures the Yuletide spirit.
Related Roger Ebert Was Wrong About This 1988 Action Classic
Regarded as one of the greatest action flicks of all time, Bruce Willis' 'Die Hard' may have been a hit with most, but it wasn't with Roger Ebert.
Posts
"What the hell does he know???" wrote @popsofone. Meanwhile, @MarkAJones15 explained that, if a film gets you in the Christmas spirit, it's a Christmas movie, writing, "Easy to settle this debate.....which would you rather watch on Christmas...A Christmas Story? Or Die Hard? I submit Die Hard is indeed a Christmas movie." The best argument comes from @GrabbyHayes, who one ups the entire fan base, as Die Hard isn't just a Christmas film, it's a Hallmark Christmas film. They explained:
"Guy travels across the country to try to put his marriage back together over Christmas...It's a goddam Hallmark Christmas movie."
Your changes have been saved
Email is sent
Email has already been sent
Die Hard R ActionThriller Release Date July 15, 1988 Runtime 132 minutes Cast Bruce Willis , Bonnie Bedelia , Reginald VelJohnson , Paul Gleason , William Atherton , Hart Bochner