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John McClane, hero of the series.

The Die Hard film series critically and commercially successful and popular action film series released by Hollywood. The series is composed of the five Die Hard films: Die Hard, Die Hard 2, Die Hard with a Vengeance, Live Free or Die Hard, and A Good Day to Die Hard. which all follow reluctant hero John McClane as he finds himself in the "wrong place at the wrong time" and must fight terrorists and save his loved ones. Combined, all five films have so far grossed over $1.2 billion dollars from the original released in 1988 to the fifth film's release in 2013.

The series has also spawned six video games and a comic series Die Hard: Year One.

Due to it's popularity and cult-like status, the Die Hard series has also become a magnet of pop culture parodies, references, and homages.

Films[]

Die Hard (1988)[]

Main article: Die Hard

In the franchise's first film, McClane takes on an internationally-based group of thugs who have seized control of Nakatomi Plaza in LA. The group have taken hostages and generally hold out on the 30th floor. Though it initially seems to be a straightforward terrorist attack, McClane eventually finds out that the terrorists are not terrorists at all, and the group is actually attempting to steal $640 million dollars worth of bearer bonds from the building's vault. The main antagonists in this movie are Hans Gruber, Karl, Theo and Eddie.

Die Hard 2 (1990)[]

Main article: Die Hard 2

In the second film, McClane battles a rogue former military unit who takes control of the landing systems and instruments of Dulles International Airport during a night time blizzard to rescue an imprisoned drug lord from custody. The main antagonists in this movie are Colonel Stuart, General Ramon Esperanza and Major Grant.

Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)[]

Main article: Die Hard with a Vengeance

In the third film, the suspended McClane teams up with shopkeeper Zeus Carver to play a terrorist's sadistic game of "Simon Says" to stop a series of bombings in New York City. The main antagonists in this movie are Simon Gruber, Mathias Targo and Katya.

Live Free or Die Hard (2007)[]

Main article: Live Free or Die Hard

In the fourth film, McClane and computer hacker Matt Farrell tries to stop a group of cyber-terrorists who are performing a deadly cyber-attack to shut down the entire infrastructure of the United States. The main antagonists in this movie are Thomas Gabriel, Mai Linh, Trey and Emerson.

A Good Day to Die Hard (2013)[]

Main article: A Good Day to Die Hard

In the fifth film, McClane travels to Russia to help his estranged son John "Jack" McClane Jr. held in a Russian prison, and discovers that Jack is a CIA operative out to prevent Russian terrorists from getting their hands on weapons-grade uranium. The main antagonists in this movie are Yuri Komarov, Viktor Chagarin, Irina Komarov and Alik.

Die Hard: Year One[]

Main article: Die Hard: Year One

The sixth and possibly the final film in the franchise will serve as a prequel (as well as a sequel) taking place in 1979, nine years before the events that unfolded at Nakatomi Plaza during the original Die Hard. Bruce Willis is expected to reprise his role as John McClane, with another actor to play a younger version.

Characters[]

John McClane[]

Main article: John McClane

The reluctant hero and main protagonist in the series. McClane is a New York cop who finds himself taking on terrorists and saving his loved ones.

Holly Gennero[]

Main article: Holly Gennero

McClane's now ex-wife whose relationship with John became more strained by each movie until Live Free or Die Hard, when it was confirmed that she and McClane had gotten a divorce sometime between the third and fourth films. Holly works for the Nakatomi Corporation, a career that John thought she would fail, but he was proven wrong. Holly was among the hostages during the Nakatomi Plaza takeover and was on one of the planes when mercenaries took over the Dulles International Airport.

Lucy McClane[]

Main article: Lucy McClane

Lucy is the daughter of John McClane & Holly Gennero and the sister of John "Jack" McClane Jr. She was estranged from her father, but during her college years in Rutgers University she was kidnapped by cyber-terrorist Thomas Gabriel. After her father saves her and Matt Farrell, they seemed to be on speaking terms and she changed her last name from Gennero to McClane. Several years later, Lucy drove her father to the airport as he goes to Russia to investigate the arrest of her brother Jack. She was seen when John returns with Jack and she reunites with them after their adventure in Moscow and Chernobyl, Ukraine.

John "Jack" McClane Jr.[]

Main article: John McClane, Jr.

John "Jack" Jr. is the son of John McClane & Holly Gennero and the brother of Lucy McClane. He will have a main role in A Good Day to Die Hard. When Jack was arrested for a killing in a nightclub in Moscow, McClane, who hasn't spoken to his son for several years, heads over there to find out what happened to him. It was later revealed that Jack is a CIA operative set on a deep-cover mission in Russia that has lasted for three years without his father's knowledge.

Al Powell[]

Main article: Al Powell

Al is a Los Angeles Police sergeant who shared a friendship with John McClane after helping with the takeover of Nakatomi Building in Los Angeles. He also helped McClane briefly with the situation in Dulles International Airport.

Richard Thornburg[]

Main article: Richard Thornburg

Thornburg is an arrogant, narcissistic reporter who exposed Holly's identity to Hans Gruber when he was interviewing Lucy and caused everyone in Dulles Airport to evacuate in mass panic after revealing the terrorist situation to the media, which interferes with police efforts.

See also[]


Die Hard
Films Die Hard -- Die Hard 2 -- Die Hard with a Vengeance -- Live Free or Die Hard -- A Good Day to Die Hard
Games Die Hard -- Die Hard 2 -- Arcade -- Trilogy -- Trilogy 2 -- Nakatomi Plaza -- Vendetta -- Die Hard 5
Comic Die Hard: Year One


Die Hard Characters
John McClane - Holly Gennero - Lucy McClane - John McClane, Jr. - Al Powell - Richard Thornburg
Die Hard Hans Gruber - Karl Vreski - Dwayne T. Robinson - Harry Ellis - Joe Takagi - Argyle - Ginny - Theo - Eddie - Heinrich - Alexander - Tony Vreski - Franco - Fritz - Marco - Uli - James - Kristoff - Harvey Johnson - Gail Wallens - Mitchell - Rivers - Special Agent Johnson - Agent Johnson
Die Hard 2 William Stuart - Ramon Esperanza - Major Grant - Carmine Lorenzo - Leslie Barnes - Ed Trudeau - Marvin - Samantha Coleman - Garber - Kahn - Oswald Cochrane - O'Reilly - Baker - Thompson - Burke - Miller - Sheldon - Shockley - Mulkey - Sherman - Albertson - Telford - Vito Lorenzo
Die Hard with a Vengeance Simon Gruber - Zeus Carver - Joe Lambert - Connie Kowalski - Walter Cobb - Ricky Walsh - Mathias Targo - Katya - Charles Weiss - Jane - Fred Schiller - Dexter - Raymond - Jerry Parks - Karl - Otto - Mischa - Nils - Klaus - Rolf
Live Free or Die Hard Matt Farrell - Thomas Gabriel - Mai Linh - Warlock - Miguel Bowman - Emerson - Trey - Russo - Rand - Del - Molina - Taylor - Raj
A Good Day to Die Hard Yuri Komarov - Irina Komarov - Viktor Chagarin - Alik - Mike Collins - Murphy
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