Die HardComplete Watch Order Guide
An action film series centered around the character of John McClane, a New York City police detective who finds himself fighting a group of terrorists in each film.
Die Hard Release Timeline
What order should you watch the Die Hard movies?
Release order — click any era to expand or collapse. All 5 released films shown below.
2 films released between 1988 and 1990.
1 film released between 1995 and 1995.
1 film released between 2007 and 2007.
1 film released between 2013 and 2013.
Watch Die Hard in Order
Watch the Die Hard movies in release order, starting with Die Hard (1988) and continuing through A Good Day to Die Hard (2013). The series spans 5 films, released between 1988 and 2013. Audiences rate the franchise 6.8/10 on average.
What order should you watch Die Hard?
For most viewers, release order is the recommended way to watch Die Hard. This is how the story was crafted and revealed to audiences — earlier films seed details, callbacks, and twists that pay off in later entries. Watching in release order preserves those reveals and matches the pacing the filmmakers intended.
Die Hard largely tracks its own in-universe chronology, so release order and chronological order overlap closely. You can use either without losing much, though release order is still the safest first watch.
About the Die Hard franchise
An action film series centered around the character of John McClane, a New York City police detective who finds himself fighting a group of terrorists in each film.
Each film builds on the previous one, rewarding viewers who watch in sequence.
Die Hard by the Numbers
Every figure below is calculated from the full film list on this page.
- 5
- Films released
- 25
- Years running
- 6.8/10
- Average audience rating
- 7.8/10
- Highest rated
- 5.3/10
- Lowest rated
- 12 years
- Longest gap between films
Die Hard has 5 released films, the first in 1988 and the most recent in 2013.
The series has been running for 25 years, from 1988 to 2013.
Across its 5 rated films, Die Hard averages 6.8/10 on TMDB, from 39,400 audience ratings.
The highest-rated entry is Die Hard (1988) at 7.8/10 on TMDB.
The lowest-rated entry is A Good Day to Die Hard (2013) at 5.3/10 on TMDB.
The longest gap between consecutive films is 12 years, between Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995) and Live Free or Die Hard (2007).
Computed by Movies in Order from The Movie Database (TMDB) collection data for Die Hard, covering all 5 released films. Last recalculated September 2026.
Die Hard Fun Facts & Trivia
The Die Hard franchise spans 25 years, from 1988 to 2013.
The highest-rated entry is Die Hard with a 7.8/10 audience score.
Across all films, the franchise averages a 6.8/10 rating from audiences.
Die Hard films have collected over 39k audience ratings combined.
The most recent entry, A Good Day to Die Hard (2013), continues a franchise that began 25 years earlier.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best order to watch Die Hard?
What is the first Die Hard movie?
What is the most recent Die Hard movie?
How many Die Hard movies are there in total?
How long does it take to watch all Die Hard movies?
What is the highest-rated Die Hard movie?
Can I watch Die Hard movies without watching them in order?
Where can I watch Die Hard movies online?
More Movies in Order
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Want the classic franchise overview?
See the original timeline, full stats, and editorial intro on the franchise overview page.
View Classic Franchise Page →