Bruce Willis Is Returning as John McClane For One More ‘Die Hard’ Movie

But this time, there’s a twist…

It’s difficult to kill Bruce Willis‘s John McClane. The iconic character dies very hard. No one dies harder. So of course Willis is coming back as McClane in a new Die Hard movie—but this one is a little bit different.

Deadline reports that Willis has signed on for another film in the series, but this time it’s a prequel:

In features, [director Len] Wiseman, who helmed Live Free or Die Hard, is set to direct the next installment in the Die Hard franchise. The plot has been under wraps, but is described as a prequel/sequel that will involve John McClane in both present day and 1970’s New York. Bruce Willis will be returning to play the iconic character, as casting now begins for the actor who will portrayMcClane when he was a NYC beat cop.


“The right casting for this role is crucial,” said Wiseman. “Those bare feet have some very big shoes to fill.”

Apparently Willis will play the current McClane and the film will be something like a flashback to flesh out the character’s back story.

Most of us wouldn’t think of the Kate Beckinsale-starring Underworld films as having anything to do with Die Hard, but Len Wiseman is the tie between the two, and the same Deadline article also dropped the news that Wiseman’s production company will be bringing an Underworld series to TV.

This is just spitballing, but what if in the Die Hard prequel present-day John McClane is just an aging ex-cop visiting with family on Christmas Eve? And at a holiday party in the headquarters of a familiar Japanese-owned business McClane finds himself surrounded by a group of warring vampires and werewolves who take over the exclusive high-rise trapping everyone in it? 

Okay, there won’t ever be an Underworld–Die Hard crossover, but we can dream.

h/t Deadline