‘Die Hard’ Is a Christmas Movie and It’s Streaming for Free in December

This topic has been debated for decades since Die Hard was released, but despite what naysayers believe, it is a Christmas movie. The film’s screenwriter himself Steven E. de Souza confirmed in a 2017 Tweet that the film is a Christmas flick, even if the star, Bruce Willis, passionately declared during a 2018 Comedy Central roast that Die Hard is not a Christmas movie. Nonetheless, regardless of beliefs about this national treasure of a film, yippee-ki-yay, because it’s conveniently available to stream for free via Tubi in December, just in time for Christmas!

What Is Die Hard About?

Die Hard is a 1988 action movie based on the 1979 novelNothing Lasts Forever by Roderick Thorp. Bruce Willis stars John McClane, an NYPD detective who travels to Los Angeles on Christmas Eve in hopes of reconciling with his estranged wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia). He attends a party held by her employer in hopes that he can convince her to come back to him. But while he’s in the Plaza bathroom freshening up, German radical Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) seizes the tower with the help of his team. They’re armed and dangerous, and everyone is taken hostage. That is, everyone except John, since no one knows he’s there.

Gruber is hellbent on stealing $640 million in bearer bonds, and he is willing to (and does) kill to get what he wants. As they terrorize everyone in the building, trying to get the code to gain access into the heavily secured vault, Gruber and his men learn that John is there. So, he sends a man to go after and kill the detective. As a SWAT team and the FBI are made aware of what’s going on, they try to help from the outside as well. But really, it’s all up to John to save the day. Thankfully, he’s not an easy target to capture. When Gruber discovers the identity of John’s wife, however, the stakes get even higher and the tension builds to a climax.

Die Hard is a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat cat and mouse game as John tries to stay alive, take down the terrorists, and get rid of the bombs they have brought along with them before anyone else gets hurt, including his wife. The movie has an expected happy ending, and the thrills along the way solidified Willis’ status as a bona fide action movie star.

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How Was Die Hard Received?

While there weren’t initially high expectations for Die Hard, it became a box office success, earning $140 million and ranking among the top-10 highest-grossing action films that year. The film also earned four Academy Award nominations and put both Willis and Alan Rickman on the map as sought-after movie stars.

Interestingly, the lead role almost went to Arnold Schwarzenegger or Sylvester Stallone, since Willis wasn’t really known as an action star at the time. Most of his credits were on television, but the decision turned out to be a good one. Fans can’t imagine anyone else in the role but Willis, who brought his signature menacing growl combined with humor to the portrayal. The movie arguably inspired so many others that have come since.

Why It’s Definitely a Christmas Movie (According to Us)

Today, 36 years after its release, Die Hard is considered one of the best action movies ever made. It has stood the test of time, with fans watching it again and again, typically around Christmastime.

While it wasn’t intended to be a Christmas movie, the plot is set during Christmastime and features the backdrop of the occasion. This means that it’s viewed as a movie that’s perfect for watching during the holiday season. It’s a nice departure from the usual feel-good, family-friendly Christmas fare. This is a Christmas movie that parents and other adults can put on once the kids have gone to bed, then introduce a new generation to once they are of age.

Die Hard lives on beyond the original film as well, with several sequels, including Die Hard 2, which was released in 1990, Die Hard with a Vengeance in 1995, Live Free or Die Hard in 2007, and A Good Day to Die Hard in 2013. The character of John McClane and the concept has also translated to video games, comics, and other merchandise.

Where Is the Cast of Die Hard Today?

The Main Players

When it comes to the cast of Die Hard, the most prominent figure is, of course, Bruce Willis, who went on to become one of the biggest action movie stars around. He starred in plenty of movies over the next 30 years, including Pulp Fiction, 12 Monkeys, The Fifth Element, Armageddon, The Sixth Sense, The Expendables, and Looper. He has earned many awards throughout his career, including a Golden Globe, two Emmy Awards, and a pair of People’s Choice Awards. He also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006. Through his career, Willis’ movies have grossed billions, ranking him among the top-10 highest-grossing lead actors in Hollywood.

Sadly, Willis retired from acting in 2022 after suffering from aphasia. He was diagnosed a year later with frontotemporal dementia and has been out of the spotlight ever since, under the care of his family.

Alan Rickman also went on to play several iconic roles, including Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Severus Snape in all eight Harry Potter movies. He has also starred in movies like The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and Alice in Wonderland. Rickman also starred as part of the ensemble cast in another “Christmas movie, but not a Christmas movie” Love Actually. Rickman passed away in 2016 at the age of 69.

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Other Key Cast Members

Alexander Godunov, who played Gruber’s second-in-command, Karl, was both an actor and a ballet dancer who worked with the Bolshoi Ballet. Die Hard was his most prominent role, though he appeared in a few movies in the years following. He passed away in 1995 at the age of 45.

Playing John’s wife, Holly, was Bonnie Bedelia, who went on to star in movies like Presumed Innocent, Sordid Lives, and Needful Things. She was also the matriarch in the NBC series Parenthood, which aired from 2010 through 2015. Bedelia, who is the aunt of actors Macaulay, Kieran, and Rory Culkin, is now 76. Her most recent roles include the 2023 movie The Hill, The 2022 TV movie The Noel Diary, and in the 2021 series Panic. She also had a five-episode arc on the series Designated Survivor.

Reginald VelJohnson was Al Powell, a sergeant with the LAPD who arrives to help John from the outside. Best known for playing the patriarch Carl Winslow on the ‘90s sitcom Family Matters, he reprised his role for Die Hard 2. Most recently, VelJohnson competed on the latest season of Dancing with the Stars where he warmed the hearts of viewers who loved his passion and vigor for dance at 72 years old.

The LAPD Deputy Chief Dwayne T. Robinson was played by Paul Gleason, who is best known for roles on the soap opera All My Children and in movies like The Breakfast Club (as the principal) and Trading Places. Fans might also recall him in an episode of Seinfeld where his character was responsible for getting George Costanza (Jason Alexander) hired by the New York Yankees. His last role before his death was in the independent movie The Book of Caleb. Gleason passed away in 2006 at the age of 67.

Stream Die Hard for free on Tubi.