Die Hard movies in order Die Hard Marathon
Page Last Modified:
15 December 2025
Most Recent Release:
A Good Day to Die Hard - 2013
Total Runtime:
610 Minutes
Total Items:
5
Average User Score:
(6.8)Die Hard movies in order
Get your snacks ready, turn off the bright lights, and get ready for some non-stop action, classic lines, and the most relentless NYPD detective ever. The Die Hard franchise isn't just a staple of '80s and '90s action classics; it's the perfect choice for an electrifying movie marathon. Whether you're meeting John McClane for the first time (yep, Bruce Willis at his best) or getting that nostalgic vibe from Nakatomi Plaza again, these movies deserve to be watched in the right order. By that, we mean chronologically, so each story seamlessly connects to the next.
From high-rise hostage thrillers to cyberterrorism plots and everything in between, the Die Hard movies deliver everything you crave in an action thriller franchise. Get ready for some explosive set pieces, Christmas lights that'll never be the same, and of course, that classic catchphrase: Yippee-ki-yay. Hey, let's plan the perfect Die Hard movie marathon and watch them in just the right order.
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1
Die Hard Movie 132 min. 1988NYPD cop John McClane's plan to reconcile with his estranged wife is thrown for a serious loop when, minutes after he arrives at her offices Christmas Party, the entire building is overtaken by a group of terrorists. With little help from the LAPD, wisecracking McClane sets out to single-handedly rescue the hostages and bring the bad guys down.USER SCORE 8 -
2
Die Hard 2 Movie 124 min. 1990One year after his heroics in Los Angeles, John McClane is an off-duty cop who is the wrong guy in the wrong place at the wrong time. On a snowy Christmas Eve, as he waits for his wife's plane to land at Washington Dulles International Airport, terrorists take over the air traffic control system in a plot to free a South American army general and drug smuggler being flown into the US to face drug charges. It's now up to McClane to take on the terrorists, while coping with an inept airport police chief, an uncooperative anti-terrorist squad, and the life of his wife and everyone else trapped in planes circling overhead.USER SCORE 7 -
3
Die Hard: With a Vengeance Movie 128 min. 1995New York detective John McClane is back and kicking bad-guy butt in the third installment of this action-packed series, which finds him teaming with civilian Zeus Carver to prevent the loss of innocent lives. McClane thought he'd seen it all, until a genius named Simon engages McClane, his new "partner" -- and his beloved city -- in a deadly game that demands their concentration.USER SCORE 7 -
4
Live Free or Die Hard Movie 128 min. 2007John McClane is back and badder than ever, and this time he calls on the services of a young hacker in his bid to stop a ring of Internet terrorists intent on taking control of America's computer infrastructure.USER SCORE 7 -
5
A Good Day to Die Hard Movie 98 min. 2013Iconoclastic, take-no-prisoners cop John McClane, finds himself for the first time on foreign soil after traveling to Moscow to help his wayward son Jack - unaware that Jack is really a highly-trained CIA operative out to stop a nuclear weapons heist. With the Russian underworld in pursuit, and battling a countdown to war, the two McClanes discover that their opposing methods make them unstoppable heroes.USER SCORE 5
Die Hard
Let's start where it all began: Nakatomi Plaza, Christmas Eve, and a guy trying to surprise his ex at her office party. It's a mix of high-rise action and a hostage thriller, directed by John McTiernan and based on the novel "Nothing Lasts Forever." Bruce Willis plays John McClane, an NYPD detective who does the unexpected. Alan Rickman is Hans Gruber, one of the best action villains ever. With Holly Gennaro McClane (Bonnie Bedelia) and Sergeant Al Powell (Reginald VelJohnson) as supporting characters, the franchise immediately sets the tone for humor, tension, and pure adrenaline. And don't forget the Christmas setting. This is absolutely a Christmas action movie.
Die Hard 2
Two years later, it's Christmas again, and this time it's an airport action movie. John McClane is thrown into chaos when he tries to pick up his in-laws from the airport. Of course, things go south when a bunch of mercenaries take over the airport. Renny Harlin is the director, but the vibe is still 100% Die Hard: lots of action, lots of tension, and the signature McClane attitude. Holly returns (and is in danger again), and the stakes are even higher, literally in the air. This film clearly builds on the first one, with a McClane who's getting used to being a magnet for disasters. The explosive set pieces are bigger, louder, and just as satisfying as you'd hope.
Die Hard with a Vengeance
We move to New York City, McClane is back on his home turf, and this time it's not Christmas but a scorching summer day. The third Die Hard movie, directed by John McTiernan, stars Samuel L. Jackson as Zeus Carver. They've got to solve a bunch of explosive puzzles as they make their way through the city, and it's all being orchestrated by Simon Gruber (Jeremy Irons), Hans's brother. This film feels like a clever mix of bomb squad action, buddy-cop thriller, and pure city chaos. The pace is fast, the threat is more personal than ever, and Jeremy Irons nails it as the calculating villain. McClane is more cynical, exhausted, and still brilliant at improvising his survival.
Live Free or Die Hard
Fast-forward to the digital age. Cyber-terrorism, fire sales, and a McClane suddenly in a world where hackers are as dangerous as bombs. Director Len Wiseman (known for Underworld) gives the franchise a modern upgrade. Timothy Olyphant stars as Thomas Gabriel, a former government analyst with a dark plan. This film is a surprising evolution of the series, with more high-tech action but still the raw, physical stunts you expect. McClane joins forces with a young hacker (Justin Long) to save America's digital infrastructure. And yes, even without Christmas lights, the Die Hard spirit is still going strong. I've got to give a shout-out to the jet-fighter scene, it's even more absurd than you'd think, and in the best way possible.
A Good Day to Die Hard
We're wrapping up the Die Hard movie marathon with perhaps the most controversial film in the series. John Moore directed this fifth movie, which finds McClane traveling to Russia to help his son Jack McClane (played by Jai Courtney). What you're about to watch is a spy-action hybrid with plenty of shootouts, chases, and father-son drama.
While this film isn't the fan favorite, it deserves a spot in the binge, if only to round out McClane's story. The setting is new, the tone slightly more international, but Bruce Willis remains unflinchingly McClane: sarcastic, indestructible, and always ready for another explosion. This film is the end of an evolution. It starts with John McClane as a lone detective in a skyscraper and ends with him as a globetrotting action hero.
Why should you watch the films in this order?
Watching the Die Hard films in order lets you see how McClane changes over time. From someone who accidentally finds themselves in trouble to someone who expects chaos the moment they step into a building. His relationship with Holly, his friendships (like with Zeus and Al Powell), and his development as a hero all make more sense when you watch the movies in the right order.And don't forget all the subtle references, callbacks, and running jokes that connect the films. The catchphrase "Yippee-ki-yay" is different in each film, and it's always delivered at just the right moment.
Bonus Material for True Fans
If you're still into the franchise after you've seen the films, check out the Die Hard video games or look for the Die Hard comics. You might also want to check out the original book that inspired the first film, "Nothing Lasts Forever." For those of you who like to know everything, there are a ton of fan theories and analyses out there about how McClane's character is built and how the films connect to other action classics from the '80s and '90s.
So, are you ready for an evening (or weekend) full of explosions, sarcasm, and indestructible tank tops? If you're in the mood for a Die Hard movie marathon, you've come to the right place.