First 3 Die Hard Films Getting 4K Steelbook Treatment
Die Hard, Die Hard 2 and Die Hard With a Vengeance will release limited 4K Steelbook editions in December.
The first three Die Hard movies are getting a new limited edition 4K stillbook. While the original 1988 film has already been available in 4K UHD, these new releases mark the first time the two sequels - Die Hard 2 and Die Hard with a Vengeance - have appeared in the format.
These are the top-notch action movies that helped propel Bruce Willis to movie star status, and frankly, they rip them off. They are available for pre-order now for $44.99 (see Amazon), with a December 1st release date.
Die Hard with a Vengeance - Limited Edition Steelbook
All three movies are also eligible for Movies Anywhere, meaning you can watch the digital versions offered on any participating streamer, including Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, Fandango and more.
Includes 4K UHD, Blu-ray and digital movies.
It is no exaggeration to call the original Die Hard movie one of the best action movies ever made. It begins during a corporate Christmas party in an abandoned high-rise office building when a group of highly organized criminals take the partygoers hostage. What they don't know is that out-of-town police detective John McClane (Willis) is also in the building, intent on stopping them (his wife, played by Bonnie Badelia, is one of the hostages).
It's as close to perfect as an action movie gets, with a script that has the criminals realizing McClane is in the building and the local police and FBI only causing more problems. Directed by John McTiernan (Predator, The Hunt for Red October), this film was so successful that it inspired an entire subgenre of action films called "Die Hard in a ____". Speed is "Die Hard on a Bus", Under Siege is "Die Hard on a Boat", Air Force One is "Die Hard on a Plane" and so on. The film also introduced Alan Rickman, a gift to all mankind.
In 1990, two years after Die Hard, its sequel arrived. This movie is not mentioned as much as the original movie, but it is not a bad movie by any means. Directed by Renee Harlin (Cliffhanger, Deep Blue Sea), it once again takes place around Christmas, but this time in an airport. When the terrorists take over the air traffic control system, John McClane is there waiting for his wife's plane to land.
The film revisits many of the beats of the original. Again, McClane discovers the terrorist plot early on and has trouble convincing the local police that the threat is real. Again, official law enforcement messes things up and the media makes things worse. But it's a solid action movie, and it did well enough at the box office for the studio to greenlit a third installment.
Die Hard with a Vengeance was released in 1995, five years after the previous entry. But it was worth the wait. John McTiernan is back in the director's chair, and alongside Willis, the film stars Pulp Fiction newcomer Samuel L. Jackson, as well as supervillain Jeremy Irons.
This time around the action takes place in New York City, McClane's home turf, as Irons' character Simon threatens to detonate bombs if McClane can't solve the puzzles he's set for him. This movie grossed 366 million dollars and was the highest grossing movie of 1995. It still reigns.
Commentary by director John McTiernan and Jackson De Govia
Special stage commentary by Richard Edlund
Separation of special effects and side by side comparison
Commentary by director John McTiernan and Jonathan Hensley
Alternate ending with optional commentary by John McTiernan
Behind the Scenes: Die Hard with Revenge TV Special
Separation of visual effects and side by side comparison
For more information, check out our updated list of 4K UHD Blu-ray release dates.
Chris Reid is IGN's senior business editor and deal expert. He also runs IGN's LEGO coverage and maintains articles on upcoming release dates for video games, LEGO sets, and 4K Blu-rays. You can follow him on Bluesky.