
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.
Release order — click any era to expand or collapse. All 5 movies 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 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.
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.
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.
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.
Watching all 5 Die Hard films back-to-back takes well over a full day's viewing commitment.
The most recent entry, A Good Day to Die Hard (2013), continues a franchise that began 25 years earlier.
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See the original timeline, full stats, and editorial intro on the franchise overview page.
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