Live Free or Die Hard

[MacGuffin]

Willis Confirms 'Die Hard 4' Nearly Ready To Roll

Hollywood actor Bruce Willis on Friday announced filmmakers are ready to start shooting a fourth Die Hard movie, and they hope to have it in cinemas next year. Speaking at the Cannes Film Festival in France, Willis - who stars as policeman John McClane in the Die Hard films - revealed the highly-anticipated sequel is expected to start filming soon. He said, "We're as close as we've ever got to getting Die Hard 4 started. It won't be called Die Hard 4 but that will be the story. Hopefully it will be out next summer." The movie's plot had to be rewritten after last year's Hurricane Katrina tragedy - the original screenplay involved an oil tanker explosion that sends huge waves flooding into New Orleans, Louisiana. Die Hard was released in 1988 and made Willis a star. Two sequels followed - Die Hard 2: Die Harder in 1990 and Die Hard With A Vengeance in 1995.

[MacGuffin]

Wiseman from 'Underworld' to 'Die Hard 4'

Len Wiseman is in discussions to direct "Die Hard 4" for 20th Century Fox. The fourth installment of the franchise finds hero John McClane coming out of retirement to battle an Internet terrorist organization. Bruce Willis will reprise his role as the fearless cop. Mark Bomback and Doug Richardson penned the screenplay, which at one point was titled "Die Hard 4.0." Arnold Rifkin is producing the latest entry. The three "Die Hard" films have earned $740 worldwide and influenced a generation of action filmmaking. The franchise also made then-TV actor Willis into a bona fide film star. In recent weeks, Rifkin had hinted that he was looking for a hot, young helmer to inject new life into the franchise. Wiseman, whose vampire thriller "Underworld: Evolution" opened at No. 1 for Screen Gems in January, fits the bill. Wiseman, who is repped by ICM and attorney Howard Abramson, made his feature directorial debut with 2003's "Underworld." He also was a writer on both "Underworld" films. Fox's Alex Young will shepherd "Die Hard 4" for the studio.

[Gold Trumpet]

The plot sounds dreadful. Too bad I first heard who the director was to think it can be salvaged. As someone once said, here is "hoping for the best"; even when there is no reason to have any.

John Stockwell could save this film. Hell, he could save anything Hollywood blushes at when the rest of us would just flush.

[MacGuffin]

Die Hard 4: America Off-Line
What's Willis' next actioner about?

We've known for a while that Bruce Willis's fourth Die Hard film would involve technology. How, exactly, was a mystery, but AICN has shed some light on the story as it's shaping up. Warning: some minor spoilers follow:

Die Hard 4 (called 4.0 until recently) is about a sophisticated plot to take the United States' technological infrastructure offline over a period of three days, bringing the economy to a halt and causing bedlam. First, "minor" systems like traffic light networks start to fail. Then banking networks, utilities, and other important services start to fail. Lastly, the power grid itself is sabotaged. All using computers, of course.

While the perpetrators may at first seem to have a terrorist agenda, there could be other motives involved. Is there going to be a ransom demand? Is it a prelude to attack? Or is simple financial greed behind it all?

Enter John McClane — and his delinquent son John Jr., or "Jack G" as he goes by. Jack's just getting out of prison for computer-related crimes, and relations with his poor fatherly role-model are strained. However, the two of them are thrust into the midst of the excitement since, as it turns out, the cyber-criminals are using some of the same hacking tricks that landed Jack in jail. The government hopes to get things running again with Jack's help before the country plunges into a new Dark Age. However, it's not long before things go wrong, leaving McClane and son to fend for themselves.

Clearly, a much grander story in scope than the previous three Die Hard films has emerged here. If John McClane's heroics in saving a skyscraper, an airport, and the federal government's gold weren't impressive enough, this time he's trying to save the entire United States.

Die Hard 4 is currently targeting a release in 2007. Len Wiseman (Underworld, Underworld: Evolution) is likely going to direct.

[©brad]

i may or may not see this when it comes out.

[polkablues]

So instead of crawling through ventilator shafts and blowing shit up, John McClane's going to spend the entire movie standing behind his son at a computer desk, having the story explained to him.

[Pubrick]

Die Hard 24 T2

[Gold Trumpet]

i may or may not see this when it comes out.

Good job picking a side. It's too soon for me to ultimately judge. All my reservations above, the benefit of Die Hard 4 being made is that Bruce Willis is well aware of what elements of the past Die Hards were even good (the first one and Sam Jackson's performance in the third). So I'm inclined to hope (and even think) he has learned from those mistakes and that ten years of pickiness in screenplays has done some good for greenlighting this fourth Die Hard.

[noyes]

geez, i just bought the ultimate collection last week.
what a great batch of dvds. i'd watch this just to see what McClane does next.

"What man? Fuck the man!"

[Ravi]

Die Hard 24 T2

Episode IV: The Re-Sequeling Electric Boogaloo

[grand theft sparrow]

All my reservations above, the benefit of Die Hard 4 being made is that Bruce Willis is well aware of what elements of the past Die Hards were even good (the first one and Sam Jackson's performance in the third). So I'm inclined to hope (and even think) he has learned from those mistakes and that ten years of pickiness in screenplays has done some good for greenlighting this fourth Die Hard.

Based on the description of the story, it looks like Bruce Willis is pickier with his bank statement than screenplays. 

I really think we should all get together, take Bruce Willis and Harrison Ford hostage, and force them not to do their respective part 4's.  With the exception of the James Bond series, I don't think there's been any film series that has delivered any reasonably entertaining installments after the third.

[MacGuffin]

With the exception of the James Bond series, I don't think there's been any film series that has delivered any reasonably entertaining installments after the third.

Umm... Hellooo:

[grand theft sparrow]

With the exception of the James Bond series, I don't think there's been any film series that has delivered any reasonably entertaining installments after the third.

Umm... Hellooo:

Between that and this:



I stand corrected.

[McfLy]

I just bought the trilogy and after watching them again, I thought the trilogy ended on a good note. McLaine kills all the Gruber sons (that the audience knows of anyway), stops quite the grand scheme, and there is a definate possibility he hooks back up with his wife. All in all a good conclusion. Die Hard 4.0 has officially entered my unwanted sequels list.

[MacGuffin]

Whose playing McClane's kid in Die Hard 4?
Source: Moviehole

Our pals at IESB.net have confirmed that rising young star Justin Long is in final negotiations to star in the new "Die Hard" film.

Long, best known for his role on TV's "Ed" and the films "Jeepers Creepers" and "Accepted", would play John McClane's new sidekick in the film, tentatively titled "Die Hard 4.0".

There are various versions of the script around, but one constant seems to be the character of a young computer hacker, who assists McClane in his plight against cyber terrorists. Only difference being, in one draft, the character is actually McClane's son, John Jr. Recent rumours suggest that the character may have been tweaked though, and he's no longer related to the singlet-wearing copper. Whatever the case, this is the character that Long would be playing.

The film, likely to lens in Vancouver, will be helmed by "Underworld" director Len Wiseman.