Movies

Is Die Hard really a Christmas movie? ‘Tis the season for the annual debate


Yippee Ki Yes or Yippee Ki Ho-ho-no? (Picture: 20th Century Fox)

The nights are growing shorter and the queues for getting festive coffees are getting longer which can only mean one thing – Christmas is coming.

The cold weather during the holiday season is perfect for snuggling up with your loved ones, pets and/or favourite blanket to watch some classic Christmas films.

For many people, Die Hard is included in that number.

After all, what better way to ring in Christmas than with a healthy dose of explosions and gunfire?

Even though Die Hard came out way back in 1988, the debate as to whether or not it’s a Christmas movie rages on, as many will still swear blind that it doesn’t count as a festive feature.

Is Die Hard a really Christmas film?

This hotly contested topic has endured for decades, with neither side willing to give in and concede defeat.

On the one hand, as Metro.co.uk’s Alecia Adejobi previously argued: ‘Ultimately, Die Hard has nothing to do with Christmas. The essence of a Christmas movie should be feel good and cosy even if some of the characters aren’t always morally perfect because, who really is?

‘But there’s a line – Christmas trees blowing up doesn’t exactly scream joyful days that are happy and bright.’

She also pointed out: ‘Die Hard wasn’t even released at Christmas.’

Admittedly, this poster doesn’t exactly scream ‘Christmas’ (Picture: 20th Century Fox)

However, people who class Die Hard as a Christmas movie will argue that pretty much the whole film takes place during a Christmas party.

Metro.co.uk’s Rishma Dosani previously argued: ‘Sure, the whole ‘holding a group of people ransom’ doesn’t quite have the same festive message as Miracle On 34th Street, but neither does Alan Rickman cheating on Emma Thompson and giving her a cheap CD, and that’s part of one of the biggest Christmas movies around…

Also, while Die Hard is mainly an action film, it features a mushy romance of a tough New York police officer travelling across the country to be with his businesswoman wife in LA, putting aside their differences and spending the holiday together. Honestly, what is more festive than a family reuniting thanks to Christmas (and some kick-ass fight scenes). It worked for Home Alone…’

John McClane’s wife is even called Hollie for goodness sake!

Bruce Willis, who starred as John McClane throughout the franchise, weighed in on the issue in 2018 during his roast on Comedy Central, saying: ‘Die Hard is not a Christmas movie. It’s a god damn Bruce Willis movie!’

Months later however, in December of that year, 20th Century Fox released a clip to celebrate the 30 years since the film’s release in which they called it ‘the greatest Christmas story ever told’.

So the answer to whether or not Die Hard is a Christmas film seems to be whatever your heart tells you because no one else can agree.

Is Die Hard on TV this Christmas?

If you’re a Sky customer, you’re in luck because Sky Cinema started broadcasting Die Hard from 1 December.

That means you can also stream it on NOW TV or rent it on the Sky Store.

On top of that, Die Hard 2 will be shown at 9pm on Christmas Eve on Film4, and the same channel will be airing 2013’s A Good Day to Die Hard on Tuesday 10 December and Sunday 15 December at 9pm.

MORE: How to deal with a work Christmas party romantic rejection

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