Exclusive: Die Hard Series Heading To Netflix
Here's our exclusive report on Netflix's new Die Hard series.
Update: The Die Hard series had been discussed, but did not end up coming to fruition with Netflix.
Following their success with The Witcher and other adaptations, Netflix has shown they have a specific interest in picking up established franchises. A lot of their focus so far has been on video game adaptations, like Cyberpunk, or novel adaptations, like Shadow and Bone. Now, they’re expanding their franchise focus again. This time, with Die Hard. Our trusted and proven source has shared that Netflix is developing a Die Hard series.
This piece of information makes a lot of sense for Netflix. Early on in streaming, many assumed that big action films wouldn’t do well. After all, don’t audiences want to see those movies exclusively on the big screens? But following the success of thriller and action movies Underground 6, a Michael Bay film full of explosions and car chases, and Extraction, a wild thriller starring Chris Hemsworth, a Die Hard series should find a welcome audience on Netflix.
Our source didn’t disclose a timeframe for the series, so we’ll be waiting to hear when Netflix will be releasing this reboot. It would be exciting to know things like whether the series will center on John McClane, as the original movies did. One of the first obstacles that comes to mind for a series for this franchise is of course how to structure it. Each of the Die Hard movies centered on McClane, thrust into a new chaotic situation. That seems like too much to have each episode centered on a crisis, so it seems most likely that each season will have its own crisis to focus on.
In this way, a Die Hard series may be structured similarly to Kiefer Sutherland’s 24. That series had 24 episodes per season and was structured so that the episodes were supposed to take place “in real-time”. This show was extremely binge-worthy, which is exactly the kind of fare that Netflix serves best. If they can mimic the high-octane tone of the Die Hard films and the 24 television series in a work of their own, they have a natural-born hit on their hands.
A Good Day to Die Hard concluded the fifth and final installment for Bruce Willis as John McClane back in 2013. While that final film wasn’t as popular with fans as its predecessors, it still earned over $304 million worldwide at the box office. The fanbase for this franchise has always appreciated John McClane and the scenarios he gets up to. Every year, many can be heard loudly insisting that the first Die Hard counts as a Christmas movie, keeping it on their regular rewatch list and on the top of their mind. In terms of franchise marketing, the regular rewatch must be something that a streaming service like Netflix can appreciate. If nothing else, many would be likely to check out a Die Hard series when Christmas came around, just because it was on everyone’s mind.
If you’re hoping to see Bruce Willis in the new Die Hard series for Netflix, well, you’re likely not the only one. It seems unlikely that he would take on a major role. Bruce Willis is currently 66 years old. Prior to the release of the final film for the franchise, Willis was very public about it being his last one. He urged the studio to have a satisfying conclusion to the films he’d worked on starting back in 1988.
When the final installment released to poor reception, the studio attempted to convince him to do another one. They also searched for other ways to revive the franchise without him. It seems like it was inevitable that at some point, Die Hard was coming back. While that likely doesn’t include Bruce Willis in a starring role. there’s no telling if he might return for a small part, or even just a cameo, especially if Netflix gets the offer right. We’ll be watching to see if that happens, and eagerly awaiting a public announcement with more details on this latest project from the streaming giant.
