Disney Rumored To Create New ‘Die Hard’ Prequel Film, Previous Efforts Stuck In Development Hell

A new rumor claims that The Walt Disney Company and its subsidiary 20th Century Studios are working on a prequel to the John McTiernan and Bruce Willis classic Die Hard.

Bruce Willis as John McClane in Die Hard (1988), 20th Century Fox

This latest rumor comes from Daniel Richtman via Jeff Sneider’s The Insneider newsletter. Sneider notes, “Daniel Richtman claims there’s a Die Hard prequel in the works again over at 20th Century Studio, so so literary reps, start pitching your clients, and don’t be surprised if that franchise becomes a priority for the studio in the new year.”

Sneider added, “The IP is simply too valuable to sit on a shelf, and with Bruce Willis sidelined due to health problems, the tough decision of whether to bring him back for one last ride has been made for them.”

Reginald VelJohnson as Sgt. Al Powell takes in the view of Nakatomi Plaza in Die Hard (1988), 20th Century Fox

In 2013, Collider reported that a sixth film in the franchise titled Die Hardest was in the works by script writer Ben Trebilcook.

Trebilcook would inform What Culture about the film telling the outlet, “McClane is invited to Tokyo by the Nakatomi Corporation to be commended for his bravery and efforts in saving 36 lives, celebrating this on the 30th anniversary of the Naktatomi Hostage Crisis. It’s by no means Black Rain. Perhaps has a slight Rising Sun type tone.”

He added, “It’s also not a double-act buddy-buddy story. McClane began on his own and should end on his own. Of course he’s had assistance in various guises, aiding him in his ventures; but it’s not Lethal Weapon or a Jackie Chan film.”

Bruce Willis as John McClane in Die Hard (1988), 20th Century Fox

Trebilcook further detailed, “McClane is a gunslinger. A now retired, worn-out, tired, busted and broken cowboy. Everything he’s been through has to be taken into account. Yes, it’s a movie, but he isn’t invincible. He was never Bond. That’s what was so appealing to me with Bruce’s character. He got hurt. I see the first one as a drama with elements of action. It took its time to set up the story and unfold great characters. I believe I got that and also what I call ‘the hose-reel moment’. You know, when McClane, in the first Die Hard leaped off the building with a fire hose, before it went kaboom; in the second, he ejects himself from the plane when he’s surrounded by grenades and in the third, he’s shot out the tunnel, through the air with a gush of water. I’ve got that ‘hose-reel moment’, as well as that cringing ‘glass pulling from the feet’ type scene.”

He added, “My story, being set in Japan, obviously has Nakatomi playing an extremely significant role; in a way that.. well, it’s John McClane in Japan and if you’ve seen any Japanese movies or at least know anything about their culture at all, you know it would have a lot of potential to be nuts. It’s not Ichi The Killer, but it is crazy and as real as you can get in these realms. It’s violent, but not over the top nor unnecessarily Loony Tune like Olympus. It’s well researched, faithful to the franchise, yet giving a possible audience such a refreshing punch to the face, they’ll be saying ‘Wow. I really wasn’t expecting that.'”

Andreas Wisniewski as Tony Vreski in Die Hard (1988), 20th Century Fox

Trebilcook went on to reveal that he even included Samuel L. Jackson’s Zeus into the film.

“Zeus played a major part in McClane’s life. They went through a lot together. They would certainly, without a doubt, still be in contact. A guy I know, Stel, wrote the 51st State (aka Formula 51) with Sam the Man. I put the idea to him and he said Sam would probably love to have a sword in a movie; that’s how you could woo him,” he shared.

Bruce Willis as John McClane in Die Hard (1988), 20th Century Fox

In 2015, it was reported by Mike Fleming Jr. at Deadline that director Len Wiseman and producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura were working on a sixth installment on the franchise that we were calling Die Hard Year One. They were seeking a screenwriter seemingly indicating that Trebilcook’s script had been shelved.

The idea at the time was to have Willis reprise his role as John McClane, but for it to also be a prequel. Fleming Jr. explained, “Basically, [Bruce Willis will] bookend a story line that will set much of the action in 1979, when McClane was a cop in gritty New York City and showing how he became a die hard kind of guy.”

The film would be retitled to McClane by 2018.

Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber in Die Hard (1988), 20th Century Fox

After Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox the film would be scrapped, Di Bonaventura told Slashfilm in April 2019, “I don’t know what’s going to happen there. It’s really up to them because obviously now they’re owned by Disney. My sense is that we won’t know much about it for a while while they debate whatever they’re debating. I don’t know enough about their plans really to have any point of view.

He did add, “They like our script.”

Bruce Willis as John McClane in Die Hard (1988), 20th Century Fox

What do you make of this latest rumor? Are you interested in seeing another Die Hard film? Would you be interested in seeing a Die Hard film without Bruce Willis?

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