Die Hard (film series) reunite with separated wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia) in Los Angeles at her company's Christmas party. Holly left to pursue her career with their two children, and uses her maiden name. At the fictional Nakatomi Plaza, East German terrorists break in and take the celebrants hostage. McClane escapes detection and hides throughout the building. He kills off the gang and learns their real plan, to steal $640 million in bearer bonds from the building's vault. In the finale, McClane shoots the terrorist leader, Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman), out the window to fall thirty stories. It was released on July 15, 1988
Live Free or Die Hard an M rating. The film notably was never released in home media with its theatrical cut, and has only been released in Australia as the extended edition. "Live Free or Die Hard" debuted at #2 behind "Evan Almighty", at the U.S. box office and made $9.1 million in its first day of release in 3,172 theaters, the best opening day take of any film in the "Die Hard" series (not taking inflation into account). On its opening weekend "Live Free or Die Hard" made $33.3 million ($48.3 million counting Wednesday and Thursday). The film made $134.5 million domestically, and $249.0