100+ Die Hard Trivia Questions & Answers

Question: Who directed Die Hard, the iconic action movie starring Bruce Willis as John McClane?

Answer: Director John McTiernan

Question: Which actor portrayed the villain Hans Gruber in Die Hard?

Answer: Alan Rickman

Question: Who played John McClane's estranged wife, Holly, in Die Hard?

Answer: Bonnie Bedelia

Question: Which actor portrayed Al Powell, the LAPD sergeant, in Die Hard?

Answer: Reginald VelJohnson

Question: Name the actor who played the tech specialist Theo in Die Hard.

Answer: Clarence Gilyard

Question: Who were the producers of Die Hard alongside Lawrence Gordon?

Answer: Joel Silver

Question: Which character did Alexander Godunov play in Die Hard?

Answer: Karl

Question: Who portrayed the TV reporter Richard Thornburg in Die Hard?

Answer: William Atherton

Question: Name the actor who played the limousine driver Argyle in Die Hard.

Answer: De'voreaux White

Question: Which actor, later famous for Family Matters, played Al Powell in Die Hard?

Answer: Reginald VelJohnson

Question: Who played Nakatomi's head executive Joseph Takagi in Die Hard?

Answer: James Shigeta

Question: Which character was portrayed by Paul Gleason in Die Hard?

Answer: Dwayne T. Robinson

Question: Who is the actor that played FBI Special Agent Big Johnson in Die Hard?

Answer: Robert Davi

Question: Which actress was cast as Holly Gennaro-McClane after Bruce Willis recommended her?

Answer: Bonnie Bedelia

Question: Which actor, known for appearing in Ghostbusters II, played James in Die Hard?

Answer: Wilhelm von Homburg

Question: Who was originally contractually obliged to play the role of John McClane before it was offered to Bruce Willis?

Answer: Frank Sinatra

Question: Which actor made his film debut as Hans Gruber in Die Hard?

Answer: Alan Rickman

Question: Name the actress who was offered the role of Holly after seeing her in Heart Like a Wheel.

Answer: Bonnie Bedelia

Question: Who portrayed FBI Special Agent Little Johnson in Die Hard?

Answer: Grand L. Bush

Question: Which actor, known for Loaded Weapon 1, made a cameo as John McClane in a parody film?

Answer: Bruce Willis

Question: Which actor, considered for Al Powell, appeared in Family Matters after Die Hard?

Answer: Reginald VelJohnson

Question: Who suggested Bonnie Bedelia for the role of Holly after seeing her performance in Heart Like a Wheel?

Answer: Bruce Willis

Question: Which actor, known for Ghostbusters II, played James in Die Hard?

Answer: Wilhelm von Homburg

Question: Which character was portrayed by Robert Davi in Die Hard?

Answer: FBI Special Agent Big Johnson

Question: What was the last major project of architect William L. Pereira before his death, as used in Die Hard?

Answer: Fox Plaza

Question: Who wrote the screenplay for Die Hard?

Answer: Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza

Question: What novel is Die Hard based on?

Answer: Nothing Lasts Forever by Roderick Thorp

Question: Which company distributed Die Hard?

Answer: 20th Century Fox

Question: What was the approximate budget for Die Hard?

Answer: $25–35 million

Question: Where was Die Hard primarily filmed?

Answer: Fox Plaza in Los Angeles

Question: What was the original name planned for John McClane?

Answer: John Ford

Question: Which cinematographer worked on Die Hard?

Answer: Jan de Bont

Question: Which production companies were involved in Die Hard?

Answer: Gordon Company and Silver Pictures

Question: Who composed the music for Die Hard?

Answer: Michael Kamen

Question: Which editors worked on Die Hard?

Answer: Frank J. Urioste and John F. Link

Question: What was the initial setting timeframe of Die Hard's plot in Jeb Stuart's script?

Answer: Three days

Question: Who was the screenwriter in dire financial straits before writing Die Hard?

Answer: Jeb Stuart

Question: Which action star was offered the role of John McClane but declined to star in Twins?

Answer: Arnold Schwarzenegger

Question: How much was Bruce Willis paid for his role in Die Hard?

Answer: $5 million

Question: Who was the first major action star to turn down the role of John McClane?

Answer: Arnold Schwarzenegger

Question: What was the key condition John McTiernan set to direct Die Hard?

Answer: The film would have "some joy"

Question: How long did Jeb Stuart have to write the first draft of Die Hard's screenplay?

Answer: Six weeks

Question: What was the initial public reaction to the early trailers featuring Bruce Willis?

Answer: Audiences laughed, thinking it was a comedy

Question: Which special effect studio worked on the Gruber's fall stunt in Die Hard?

Answer: Boss Film Studios

Question: What piece of James Horner's score was used temporarily in Die Hard?

Answer: The unused score for Aliens

Question: What technique did Jan de Bont use to create intimacy in the cinematography of Die Hard?

Answer: Handheld cameras

Question: What was the Nakatomi Building's 30th floor a recreation of in Die Hard?

Answer: Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater

Question: How was the scene of Gruber's descent filmed in Die Hard?

Answer: Using an automated camera focus system and multiple takes

Question: What element inspired the creation of John McClane's catchphrase in Die Hard?

Answer: Roy Rogers' "Yippee-ki-yay, kids"

Question: What was the challenge with the helicopter scene's filming in Die Hard?

Answer: Only two hours were allowed, requiring six months of preparation

Question: When was Die Hard theatrically released in the United States?

Answer: July 15, 1988

Question: How much did Die Hard gross at the box office?

Answer: $139.8–141.5 million

Question: What rating did audiences give Die Hard according to CinemaScore?

Answer: A+

Question: How did initial critical reviews of Die Hard respond?

Answer: They were mixed

Question: What position did Die Hard hold in the summer 1988 box office rankings?

Answer: Tenth-highest-grossing film of the year

Question: What was the main criticism in early reviews of Die Hard?

Answer: Violence, plot, and Bruce Willis's performance

Question: Which character's portrayal was praised in Die Hard?

Answer: Hans Gruber, portrayed by Alan Rickman

Question: How many Academy Award nominations did Die Hard receive?

Answer: Four

Question: What accolade did Michael Kamen win for his work on Die Hard?

Answer: BMI TV/Film Music Award

Question: When was Die Hard selected for preservation in the National Film Registry?

Answer: 2017

Question: What was Die Hard's opening weekend gross during its wide release?

Answer: $7.1 million

Question: What average rating did audiences give Die Hard?

Answer: A+

Question: Which movie replaced Die Hard as number one in rental charts after six weeks?

Answer: A Fish Called Wanda

Question: What was Die Hard's cumulative worldwide gross?

Answer: Between $139.1 million and $140.7 million

Question: What list did the American Film Institute include Die Hard in 2001?

Answer: Top 100 Most Heart-Pounding American Movies

Question: How did Die Hard perform against other action films like Rambo III and Red Heat?

Answer: It outperformed them

Question: What was the primary reason for low expectations for Die Hard's release?

Answer: Bruce Willis's lack of a built-in film audience

Question: What was unique about Die Hard's limited release strategy?

Answer: It was released in 21 theaters initially

Question: How did critics retrospectively view Die Hard?

Answer: As one of the greatest action films of all time

Question: What percentage approval rating does Die Hard have on Rotten Tomatoes?

Answer: 94%

Question: What was the initial public reaction to Die Hard's sneak previews?

Answer: Well received by audiences

Question: What was Bruce Willis's reaction to the initial low expectations?

Answer: He was paid what the studio thought he was worth

Question: Which film ultimately knocked Die Hard out of the number one rental spot?

Answer: A Fish Called Wanda

Question: How did Die Hard perform in the summer of 1988 compared to expectations?

Answer: It was an enormous success

Question: What score does Die Hard have on Metacritic?

Answer: 72 out of 100

Question: How has Die Hard been critically re-evaluated over time?

Answer: It's now considered one of the greatest action films of all time

Question: What term originated from Die Hard to describe similar plot structures?

Answer: "Die Hard on a..."

Question: Which institution selected Die Hard for preservation in 2017?

Answer: United States Library of Congress

Question: What is Die Hard credited with revitalizing in cinema?

Answer: The action genre

Question: Which sequel is the last in the Die Hard series to feature De Souza, Bedelia, VelJohnson, Atherton, Silver, and Gordon?

Answer: Die Hard 2 (1990)

Question: What was the impact of Die Hard on Bruce Willis's career?

Answer: It elevated him to leading-man status

Question: What famous quote from Die Hard became iconic?

Answer: "Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker"

Question: How did Die Hard influence future action films?

Answer: It introduced everyman heroes and confined settings

Question: Which character from Die Hard is considered one of the most iconic villains?

Answer: Hans Gruber

Question: How has Die Hard been referenced in other media?

Answer: In TV shows, films, video games, music, and novels

Question: What influence did Die Hard have on Alan Rickman's career?

Answer: It made him a celebrity

Question: What term did Die Hard create for plot descriptions?

Answer: "Die Hard on a bus," etc.

Question: What board game was released based on Die Hard in 2019?

Answer: Die Hard: The Nakatomi Heist

Question: How did Die Hard change the perception of action film heroes?

Answer: Introduced vulnerable, fallible protagonists

Question: What is a common debate surrounding Die Hard's classification as a film?

Answer: Whether it is a Christmas film

Question: Which list includes Die Hard as a must-see film?

Answer: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die

Question: What did Bruce Willis donate to the Smithsonian in relation to Die Hard?

Answer: John McClane's undershirt

Question: How did Die Hard impact 20th Century Fox's status?

Answer: It revitalized the studio

Question: Which later film's opening scene was inspired by Jan de Bont's experience on Die Hard?

Answer: Speed (1994)

Question: Which upcoming sequels were canceled following Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox?

Answer: Prequel film and potential sixth film

Question: What is the significance of the Fox Plaza in Die Hard?

Answer: It served as the main setting, Nakatomi Plaza

Question: What did Die Hard's legacy lead to in the action genre?

Answer: More confined settings and everyman heroes

Question: How did the portrayal of McClane differ from other 1980s action heroes?

Answer: He was vulnerable and average, not muscle-bound and invincible

Question: Which of the Die Hard sequels was considered the weakest?

Answer: A Good Day to Die Hard (2013)

Question: How is Die Hard regarded in the context of Christmas films?

Answer: Often named one of the best Christmas films, though disputed