Bruce Willis will forever be known as one of the biggest action stars of the 90s and 2000s. His appearance in films like Pulp Fiction, Armageddon, and The Fifth Element allowed him to solidify his legacy, but it was with 1988’s Die Hard that the foundation was laid. His role as NYPD detective John McClane in John McTiernan’s high-octane and highly quotable action flick is likely the role that he’s associated with most frequently, and the success of it allowed a franchise to be born. Beginning on October 1, Hulu subscribers can get in the holiday spirit a little bit early thanks to not only the arrival of Die Hard on the platform, but also the second and third films, Die Hard 2 and Die Hard with a Vengeance.

In what many now consider to be a Christmas movie, the original Die Hard takes place on Christmas Eve, when John McClane hops on a flight and travels to Los Angeles in hopes of getting back together with his wife from whom he’s separated. Upon landing, he travels to Nakatomi Plaza, where his wife’s company is enjoying holiday celebrations. But when John sneaks away to the bathroom to get cleaned up, the building is taken over by German terrorists led by Alan Rickman’s Hans Gruber. What transpires over the next two hours is nothing short of an iconic and explosive film that defined a genre.

Ahead of its release, Die Hard had plenty of haters. But, in the end, the joke was on them thanks to the immense popularity of the film upon its arrival in cinemas. Raking in around $140 million during its initial run, the movie quickly climbed the ranks to earn the bragging rights of one of the Top 10 highest-grossing pictures of the year, a list that also occupied the likes of Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Coming to America, Good Morning, Vietnam, and more.

‘Die Hard’ Sparks a Franchise

As with most things in Hollywood, once the dollar signs started accumulating, the studio saw plenty of potential in the idea of a Die Hard film series. Soon, the green light would be given for a sophomore installment, which saw Willis reprise his role as the rough and tough NYPD detective in Die Hard 2. Picking up a year or so following the events of the original movie, the sequel finds McClane stuck in the middle of yet another terrorist plot, this time on the other side of the country at Washington Dulles International Airport. Helmed by Renny Harlin (The Strangers: Chapter 1), the movie once again performed so well that it was given yet another follow-up.

With a total of five films, the Die Hard franchise has become one of the biggest and most recognizable action series in history. Get started with the first three when they arrive on Hulu on October 1.

Release Date

July 15, 1988

Runtime

132 minutes

Writers

Jeb Stuart, Steven E. de Souza

Producers

Joel Silver