Movies

Here's Where & When You Can Watch Die Hard on TV in December 2023

written by Louise Everitt

December 4, 2023 9:45 am

Here's Where & When You Can Watch Die Hard on TV in December 2023 — Image credit: Twentieth Century Fox

The iconic action movie starring Bruce Willis certainly is a great pick this month — whether you consider it holiday canon or not.

Summary

It's December, and it's time to start watching movies to get in the holiday spirit.

The ultimate Christmas movie is the original 1988 Die Hard.

Available on many streaming services, it can be watched in two clicks.

The last three months of the year are always associated with holiday movie viewing. In October, we get in the spooky mood before and during Halloween by watching horror movies. In November, many people celebrate Thanksgiving with the classic comedy Planes, Trains and Automobiles. And in December, in anticipation of Christmas and the holidays that follow, many of us are willing to spend time with great pleasure watching... Die Hard!

It is impossible not to love Bruce Willis. His charisma, sense of humor, acting talent and ability to bring such authenticity to action movie characters created a cult following back in the 80's. In light of his current state of health, we want to lovingly revisit his best roles and honor one of Hollywood's most talented and gifted actors. And of course, with Christmas coming up, Die Hard is a definite choice for viewing. But where to see one of the greatest action movies of all time in December?

A Little Something About the Timeless Classic

It's hard to imagine the year 2023, but when the film, directed by John McTiernan and written by Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza, adapted from a novel by Roderick Thorp, was released in 1988, it was met with a cold reception. Even before its release in American theaters, the movie was predicted to fail.

Those were the days of Terminator, Robocop and Rimbaud, and action movies were more likely to feature pathos and flawless superhumans than ordinary cops who accidentally became the heroes of the day. As a result, the film received very mixed reviews, even though Die Hard was incredibly successful commercially, earning an estimated $139.8-141.5 million at the box office against a budget of $25-35 million.

But in retrospect, the film is considered one of the best action movies ever made, largely due to the performance of Bruce Willis, who portrayed John McClane in an extremely open manner, not hiding his flaws and vulnerabilities. And of course, there is no denying the great talent of Alan Rickman, who played the cold and calculating Hans Gruber.

Why Die Hard Is the Perfect Christmas Movie

So why is Die Hard considered a Christmas movie? Well, in part because the events take place on Christmas Eve! In addition, Bruce Willis as John McClane is a perfect example of the ultimate family man, who values family and friends far more than the material possessions that Rickman's character and even other cops pursue.

And, of course, let us not forget that this is a great example of the ultimate comfort watch, offering not only great action scenes, but also a victory of good over evil. What else could you dream of on the eve of the most important Christian holiday?

Where to Watch It in December 2023

For U.S. residents, the original Die Hard is available for streaming on two services, Apple TV+ ( with a Starz subscription, starting from $3.99) and DigitalTV. It is also available to rent or purchase on virtually every platform, including Amazon Prime Video ( starting from $3.79), Google Play (starting from $3.99), YouTube, Vudu ($9.99) and Microsoft. All options include SD, HD, and UHD.

You can also watch Die Hard on MTV on Saturday 16 December and Sunday 17 December at 9pm EST.

Outside the U.S., Die Hard is available to stream on Disney+ in most countries around the world, including Canada, Europe and many Asian countries, since 20th Century Fox, the film's distributor, was acquired by Disney. It can also be purchased or rented on the above services.

If you live in Latin American countries, the movie is only available by subscription on Star+, which is also owned by Disney.

Read More on Our Selection of Christmas Movies:

Merry Christmas and enjoy the season, folks. Yippee-ki-yay!