Die Hard Die Hard Die Hard is a 1988 American action thriller film. It was directed by John McTiernan, and written by Steven E. de Souza and Jeb Stuart. It was produced by the Gordon Company and Silver Pictures, and distributed by 20th Century Fox. The film follows off-duty New York City Police Department officer John McClane (Bruce Willis) who is caught in a Los Angeles skyscraper during a heist led by Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman). It is based on Roderick Thorp's 1979 novel "Nothing Lasts Forever". Made for $28 million, "Die Hard" grossed over $140 million theatrically worldwide, with the film
Die Hard (film series) elements in the story too closely resembled the September 11 attacks. "A Good Day to Die Hard" was the first film in the series to come from an original screenplay, and not be based upon any prior works. The original screenplay was penned by Skip Woods. Although the first "Die Hard" has been credited as one of the greatest action movies of all time, critical reaction to its sequels has varied. The original "Die Hard" received substantial praise. Pete Croatto of FilmCritic.com called the film "a perfect action movie in every detail, the kind of movie that makes your summer