When is Die Hard on TV this Christmas?
Is the Bruce Willis classic a Christmas movie? The debate continues.
Three and a half decades after its initial release, the question of whether or not Die Hard can be counted as a true Christmas movie remains fiercely contested every single December.
The film was originally released during the summer months, but whatever side of the debate you fall on, there can be no denying that, in part due to its festive setting, the action classic certainly sees a spike in interest over the Christmas period.
Directed by John McTiernan, the film stars Bruce Willis as NYPD detective John McClane, who touches down in Los Angeles on 24th December with grand plans of making amends with his estranged wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia) at her company’s Christmas party.
Just before he enters her office, though, the building is seized by the villainous Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) and his gang, who take everyone inside hostage.
“Die Hard is a Christmas movie now but it didn’t start out as one," film critic James King explained to RadioTimes.com. "Back in 1988 when it was released in the summer, I don’t think anyone thought it was a festive film. Sure it had a seasonal setting but it was hardly warm and cuddly.
“But over time, the fans have embraced its Christmas background and reinterpreted it as a yuletide classic. That’s what’s great about brilliant films: they don’t just have to be one thing.”
Here’s when you can catch John McClane on screen over the festive period and how to stream all five films in the franchise, so you can make your mind up on the Christmas movie debate once and for all.
By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Is Die Hard on TV this Christmas?
Yes! It wouldn't be Christmas without Die Hard airing on TV at least once – and thankfully, the classic action film will be getting an outing on Channel 4 just before the big day.
The film will air on Saturday 23rd December at 9pm – the perfect way to spend Christmas Eve's Eve.
Where else can I watch Die Hard?
All five films are available to stream on Disney Plus – including the first film, which originally joined the streaming service much later than the sequels.
If you don't have a subscription to Disney Plus, you can buy or rent Die Hard and the other sequels on Amazon Prime Video. iTunes also has the full collection available to purchase.
Is Die Hard a Christmas movie?
Philosophers across the world ponder the big questions in life – and perhaps the most prominent is the conundrum is Die Hard a Christmas movie, or is it just a movie that just happens to be set at Christmas? (It’s a Christmas movie and we won’t hear otherwise.)
Like the pronunciation of scone, it is a query that has plagued people for decades (or, at least, since 1988), with even Die Hard star Bruce Willis saying – controversially – that he doesn’t believe the action-thriller is a Christmas movie.
A 2021 poll by YouGov stepped in to settle the festive debate, finding that the public does not consider it to be a true Christmas film – even though just one year prior the film's director John McTiernan had said that he thought it was one.
Christmas film or not, Die Hard still remains one of the best and most influential action films ever made, and the holidays just wouldn’t be the same without settling down to watch Bruce Willis’s star turn.
How to watch the Die Hard films in order
There are five films in the Die Hard series which were released over a 25 year period. The latest, A Good Day to Die Hard, first hit US cinema screens on Valentine's Day 2013. Here's the order they came out:
- Die Hard (1988)
- Die Hard 2 (1990)
- Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)
- Live Free or Die Hard (2007)
- A Good Day to Die Hard (2013)
Check out more of our Film and Drama coverage, or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.
Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
