Credit: 20th Century StudiosDie Hard (1988) is an undisputed classic. Starring Bruce Willis as New York City cop John McClane, who’s thrust into a life-or-death situation against ruthless terrorists (led by the late Alan Rickman’s brilliant Hans Gruber) while visiting his wife at work in the Nakatomi Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles for the Holidays, Die Hard is, at the very least, an iconic action movie.
Directed by John McTiernan (Predator), who can clearly direct the living daylights out of an action flick, Die Hard is cemented in the annals of American classics. Based on the 1978 novel “Nothing Lasts Forever” (sounds like a Bond movie) by Roderick Thorp, the film is a modern Western of sorts, hence the gun-toting John McClane (John Wayne, get it?).
But the eternal debate about whether Die Hard is also a Christmas movie rages on.
Is Die Hard a Christmas Movie?
Yes. But is it a matter of opinion? Well, let’s see: Die Hard is set over the Holidays, it’s festooned with Christmas classics, and it’s even based on a book that’s also set during the time of giving (in the case of Die Hard, “giving” the bad-guys a good old butt-kicking, that is). It also shares a very similar premise to the Christmas classic, Home Alone (1990).
John McClane’s wife is even called Holly (Bonnie Bedelia).
Just because Die Hard isn’t necessarily a Christmas-sy movie, that doesn’t mean it isn’t a Christmas movie. Though it might make some fans who believe it’s a Christmas movie feel Christmas-sy, objectively speaking, by design, the film is not a Christmas-sy movie like, say, Home Alone or The Holiday or Elf. Either way, Die Hard is a Christmas movie.
And now, we have some new evidence that will back up our case.
Related: If ‘Die Hard’ Isn’t a Christmas Movie, Neither Is ‘Home Alone’
A Different Version of the Beloved Classic
Enter “A Die Hard Christmas: The Illustrated Holiday Classic”. That’s right — now, Die Hard has its very own storybook adaptation, ho, ho, ho! See what we did there?
Published in 2017 and written by Doogie Horner with artwork by JJ Harrison, “A Die Hard Christmas: The Illustrated Holiday Classic” is a storybook reimagining of John McTiernan’s R-rated actioner. But it’s hardly the first of its kind.
Related: Is ‘Die Hard 2’ a Christmas Movie?
Storybooks adapted from classic movies and television shows are more popular than you might think–you’ll find everything from Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Alien out there!
However, unlike those examples, which are based on adult-centric IPs, “A Die Hard Christmas: The Illustrated Holiday Classic” isn’t family-friendly, as it still contains machine guns (ho, ho, ho), terrorists, explosions, and other things you wouldn’t want your kid to read.
Per Publisher Insight Editions, here’s the official description for the book:
All John McClane wants for Christmas is to reunite with his estranged family. But when his wife’s office holiday party turns into a deadly hostage situation, he has to save her life before he can get home in time for Christmas!
The unconventional fan-favorite movie Die Hard is now an illustrated storybook―complete with machine guns, European terrorists, and a cop who’s forced to rely on all his cunning and skills (and the help of a fellow officer) to save the day. Based on the classic “Night Before Christmas” poem and filled with whimsical illustrations, this cleverly reimagined homage is destined to become a holiday classic.
A disclaimer for the book reads, “Contains adult material including violence and strong language. Reader discretion is advised. Ho-ho-ho.”
Where the use of the word “Christmas” in the title concerned, sure, the author, illustrator, and publisher have obviously taken liberties–as is the case with any storybook adaptation of a major IP. But that’s probably because they recognize that Die Hard is a Christmas movie. Unless they’re just having some fun by playing into the eternal debate.
Where Can I Watch Die Hard?
Which streaming service would you consider the most festive? Why, Disney+, of course! Home to family-friendly franchises like Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar, there’s no other platform quite like it. It’s also where you’ll find Die Hard, which is listed under the “Christmas Classics” section. Per Disney+, here’s the official synopsis for the film:
Facing Christmas 3,000 miles from his estranged wife and two children, New York policeman John McClane (Bruce Willis) flies to Los Angeles bearing presents and hoping to patch up his marriage. Stylish and cool Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) is in Los Angeles as well for the holiday season, but he’s not there to give out presents.
He’s there to take: more than $600 million in negotiable bearer bonds from the multinational Nakatomi Corporation, where McClane’s wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia) is an executive. When the takeover becomes hostile, it’s up to John McClane to take on the terrorists with all the grit and determination he can muster–but not without a sense of humor.
Do you think Die Hard is a Christmas movie? Have you read the storybook adaption? Or even the original novel? Sound off below!