Die Hard Movies in Order: The action genre changed forever in the summer of 1988 with the release of Die Hard, the movies seemed to re-invent and immediately perfect the action formula, with detective John McClane as the guy who’s simultaneously in way over his head and always one step ahead of the bad guy, brought to life by Bruce Willis with a steely glint in the eye, and cynical everyman wit and humor. People are fans of action movies, so experience thrilling years of this action-packed franchise with Bruce Willis as the legendary John Mcclane in this one-of-a-kind Die Hard movie series that delivers a the greatest action hero of all time. As the endlessly besieged cop John McClane, Willis found his signature role for a five-film series spanning 25 years. For the ultimate Die Hard movie binge, we suggest watching Die Hard movies in order to see how the series not only evolved over time but reflected the changing style of the action movie itself.
Originated with Roderick Thorp’s novel Nothing Lasts Forever, All five Die Hard films are based on an NYPD detective’s story and are filled with amazing action and comedy, revolve around the main character of John McClane, a New York City/Los Angeles police detective who continually finds himself in the middle of a crisis where he is the only hope against disaster. Moreover, Here is the best guide list of all Die Hard movies in order of release.
How to Watch Die Hard Movie Order in Chronology
1. Die Hard (1988)
The first installment in the Die Hard film series, Die Hard (1988) directed by John McTiernan, is based on the 1979 novel Nothing Lasts Forever by Roderick Thorp.
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.
2. Die Hard 2 (1990)
The second installment in the Die Hard film series, Die Hard 2 directed by Renny Harlin, takes place on Christmas Eve, a year after his heroics in L.A. McClane is waiting for his wife to land at Washington Dulles International Airport when terrorists take over the air traffic control system. He must stop the terrorists before his wife’s plane and several other incoming flights that are circling the airport run out of fuel and crash. During the night, McClane must also contend with airport police and a military commander, none of whom want his assistance.
3. Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)
The third installment in the Die Hard film series, Die Hard with a Vengeance directed by John McTiernan, is based on the screenplay Simon Says by Hensleigh.
On the streets of New York City, police officer John McClane (Bruce Willis) has just about seen it all. He’s got a nose for danger, a penchant for being in the wrong place at the wrong time and a talent for overcoming incredible odds. But this time, danger is looking for him. Seeking a very personal and mysterious revenge against McClane, a malevolent genius named Simon (Jeremy Irons) is forcing the heroic cop to play a deadly game. The stakes: New York City itself. The game begins when a phone call from Simon sends McClane to Harlem, where he unexpectedly forms an alliance with the very unwilling Zeus Carver (Samuel L. Jackson). McClane and Zeus soon find themselves careening across the Big Apple, pursuing the deadly Simon, who’s always one step ahead of them.
4. Live Free or Die Hard (2007)
The fourth installment in the Die Hard film series, Live Free or Die Hard directed by Len Wiseman and is based on a 1997 article “A Farewell to Arms” written for Wired magazine by John Carlin. In the film, NYPD Detective John McClane (Bruce Willis) attempts to stop a cyber-terrorist (Timothy Olyphant) who hacks into government and commercial computers across the United States with the goal of starting a “fire sale” a crippling cyber-warfare attack that would disable key elements of the nation’s infrastructure: power, public utilities, traffic, and other computer-controlled systems.
5. A Good Day to Die Hard (2013)
The fifth installment in the Die Hard film series, A Good Day to Die Hard directed by John Moore. In the film, McClane travelling to Russia to get his estranged son, Jack, an undercover CIA agent, out of prison. He is soon caught in the crossfire of a global terrorist plot. McClane thinks his son is a criminal, so it comes as a shock when he learns that Jack is actually working undercover to protect Komarov (Sebastian Koch), a Russian government whistleblower. With their own lives on the line, McClane and Jack must overcome their differences in order to get Komarov to safety and thwart a potentially disastrous crime in the Chernobyl region.
How many Die Hard movies are there?
Die Hard film series consist of a total of FIVE (5) movies. All five films revolve around the main character of John McClane, a New York City/Los Angeles police detective who continually finds himself in the middle of a crisis where he is the only hope against disaster.
All Die Hard Movies in Order of Release Date
Here is the list of Die Hard films in order, they were released.
1. Die Hard — July 15, 1988
2. Die Hard 2 — July 4, 1990
3. Die Hard with a Vengeance — May 19, 1995
4. Live Free or Die Hard — June 27, 2007
5. A Good Day to Die Hard — February 14, 2013
Do you need to watch the Die Hard movies in order?
While it is generally recommended to watch movies in a series in order, the Die Hard movies can be enjoyed as standalone films as well. Each film has its own self-contained story, and while there are recurring characters and references to previous events, the main plotlines are generally independent of one another.
However, watching the Die Hard movies in order can enhance your overall viewing experience. Doing so allows you to follow the character development of John McClane, played by Bruce Willis, and witness the evolution of the series over time. You’ll also pick up on the references, callbacks, and running gags that are present throughout the franchise.
If you’re interested in immersing yourself in the Die Hard universe and experiencing the series in its entirety, watching the Die Hard movies in chronological order is the way to go:
- Die Hard (1988)
- Die Hard 2: Die Harder (1990)
- Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)
- Live Free or Die Hard (2007)
- A Good Day to Die Hard (2013)
Ultimately, the choice is yours. Whether you decide to watch the movies in order or pick and choose, you can still enjoy the thrilling action and the iconic character of John McClane.
Box office performance of Die Hard (film series) movies:
The Die Hard film series has been a successful franchise at the box office. Here is an overview of the box office performance of the main films in the series:
|
Film
|
Release date
|
Box office gross |
Budget
|
||
| North America | Other territories |
Worldwide | |||
| Die Hard | July 15, 1988 | $83,844,093 | $57,759,104 | $141,603,197 | $28,000,000 |
| Die Hard 2 | July 4, 1990 | $117,540,947 | $122,490,347 | $240,031,274 |
$62–70,000,000
|
| Die Hard with a Vengeance | May 19, 1995 | $100,012,499 | $266,089,167 | $366,101,666 | $90,000,000 |
| Live Free or Die Hard | June 27, 2007 | $134,529,403 | $253,626,608 | $388,156,011 | $110,000,000 |
| A Good Day to Die Hard | February 14, 2013 | $67,349,198 | $237,304,984 | $304,654,182 | $92,000,000 |
It’s worth noting that the box office figures mentioned are approximate and do not account for inflation or other factors like marketing costs. The Die Hard franchise has been popular among audiences and has had consistent success at the box office, with each installment earning a significant amount worldwide.
Conclusion:
Watching Die Hard movies in chronological order, gives you FIVE time non-stop high thrilling action of Bruce Willis as the legendary John Mcclane, a New York City/Los Angeles police detective who continually finds himself in the middle of a crisis where he is the only hope against disaster. Luckily, chronologically and by release date are the same. The order in which you do these things is up to you now. But when we watch it, we prefer to do so in order.
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