Die Hard Movies: Release Order

Other Watch Orders:
1988 - 20135 Films10h 10m3.9 Average

The Die Hard franchise follows NYPD officer John McClane (Bruce Willis) as he repeatedly finds himself battling terrorist threats in increasingly elaborate scenarios across 25 years. Starting with the popular 1988 skyscraper thriller that established the template for the "in the wrong place at the wrong time" action formula, this watch order shows McClane's entire journey.

The movies take you through different eras of action filmmaking - from the grounded, practical effects-driven tension of the late 80s and 90s entries to the more CGI-heavy, large-scale spectacle of the modern sequels.

There is 1 other watch order available – see the link up above.

Linear Timeline: Release Order = Story Order

1
Die Hard poster

Die Hard

19882h 12m4.7
Director: John McTiernan
Cast: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Alexander Godunov, Bonnie Bedelia, Reginald VelJohnson

When NYPD cop John McClane arrives at his estranged wife's Christmas party in a Los Angeles skyscraper, terrorists take over the building and hold everyone hostage. Armed with wit and determination, McClane must single-handedly take on the criminals to save the hostages.

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2
Die Hard 2 poster

Die Hard 2

19902h 4m4
Director: Renny Harlin
Cast: Bruce Willis, Bonnie Bedelia, William Sadler, John Amos, Franco Nero

Off-duty cop John McClane finds himself battling terrorists who have taken over Washington Dulles International Airport's air traffic control system on Christmas Eve. With his wife trapped on a circling plane above, McClane must stop the criminals before innocent lives are lost.

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3
Die Hard with a Vengeance poster

Die Hard with a Vengeance

19952h 8m4.3
Director: John McTiernan
Cast: Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, Jeremy Irons, Larry Bryggman, Graham Greene

New York detective John McClane teams up with civilian Zeus Carver to stop a genius criminal named Simon who has engaged them in a deadly game threatening innocent lives across the city. The third installment in the action-packed Die Hard series finds McClane facing his most challenging adversary yet.

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4
Live Free or Die Hard poster

Live Free or Die Hard

20072h 8m3.7
Director: Len Wiseman
Cast: Bruce Willis, Timothy Olyphant, Justin Long, Cliff Curtis, Maggie Q

John McClane teams up with a young hacker to stop a group of cyber-terrorists who are attempting to take down America's entire computer infrastructure in this action-packed fourth installment of the Die Hard franchise.

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5
A Good Day to Die Hard poster

A Good Day to Die Hard

20131h 38m2.7
Director: John Moore
Cast: Bruce Willis, Jai Courtney, Sebastian Koch, Yuliya Snigir, Radivoje Bukvić

Cop John McClane travels to Moscow to help his estranged son, only to discover that Jack is actually a CIA operative trying to stop a nuclear weapons heist. Father and son must work together to battle the Russian underworld and prevent an international crisis.

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