MOVIE NEWS – The head of 20th Century Studios has hinted at new plans for the iconic action franchise Die Hard. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, studio chief Steve Asbell provided a tantalizingly brief update on Die Hard 6, sparking excitement among fans. Following Bruce Willis’ retirement, audiences were ready to let the franchise rest. However, Asbell’s words suggest this may not be permanent.

When asked if there are any current plans, Asbell responded:

“No, not yet.”

Despite its brevity, the “not yet” strongly implies that the studio still envisions a return to the explosive world of John McClane. Unfortunately, franchise lead Bruce Willis has stepped away from acting after his diagnosis with aphasia, later followed by frontotemporal dementia. The beloved actor last portrayed McClane in 2013’s A Good Day to Die Hard. Originally developed in 2017, Die Hard 6 was set to serve as both a prequel and a sequel, drawing inspiration from the Die Hard: Year One comic series. The project would have cast another actor as the young McClane, with Bruce Willis closing out his iconic role.

Die Hard 6 Planned to Be Both Prequel and Sequel

However, after years of rumors and casting speculation, producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura confirmed in 2021 that the prequel/sequel had been shelved.

“Yeah, no, it’s not happening. But what was interesting was we actually came up with an idea to do it. It was a project that wasn’t Die Hard that then, eventually, shifted over to Die Hard.”

“What was interesting about our idea was it allowed you the ability to meet the young John McClane and use Bruce. So it was really interesting in that way. You sort of got to see both versions of him. A bit like The Godfather Part 2.”

Should the studio ever revisit the Die Hard series (and let’s face it, they probably will), perhaps a new lead character paying homage to the original could keep the legacy alive. Aldis Hodge, who appeared in Die Hard with a Vengeance, recently expressed his enthusiasm for a potential reunion with co-star Samuel L. Jackson.

“You know what? My brother and I and our team, we were actually talking about ‘what would’ve happened if’ a little while back. So we might have to revisit that conversation because I think that would be awesome to see. Absolutely.”

“Sam is the coolest. Yeah, he’s cool, man. I mean, I first met him when I was eight, but man, we’re still cool now. You know what I mean? And it’s just great. I think he’s got a lot to teach, for sure, with the magnitude of his career. But to work with Sam again would be amazing.”

Source: MovieWeb