I’m sure Glen Powell doesn’t want to only be known for reboots and sequels of classic franchises, but after seeing him (and loving it) in The Running Man on the 2025 movie schedule, I had a thought: he’d be perfect to carry the torch of Die Hard into the future. With the retirement of Bruce Willis, we haven’t heard much from the Die Hard franchise. However, knowing how Hollywood works, it’s probably only a matter of time before we’re immersed in John McClane (or a new officer) up to his neck in trouble, in a place where he shouldn’t even be. Glen Powell could be that cop.
The Die Hard Franchise Is Currently In Limbo
After a few attempts to get a sixth Die Hard movie going over the years, Bruce Willis and his family announced his retirement from acting after being diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in 2023. That, along with some Hollywood business-related issues after the sale of Fox to Disney, pretty much meant the future of the franchise was completely up in the air. In the couple of years since then, there hasn’t been much about it.
Of course, this is Hollywood we’re talking about, and a successful franchise like Die Hard is never really dead, it’s just dormant for the time being. I love the franchise. I’ve watched the original Die Hard many, many times over the years. I’ve watched every other movie in the franchise at least a couple of times, even the ones that I don’t really like (I’m not naming names here). It would be a shame for the franchise to…die… out, so while watching the latest reboot of an ‘80s action property, The Running Man, it stuck out to me as to why Powell would be great.
Powell Could Be A Better Action Star Than Willis
I know this might be a hot take, but Powell has shown that he’s perfectly willing to take on risk with some of the stunts he’s performed in recent years. From filming in a fighter jet in Top Gun: Maverick to swinging naked on the side of a building in The Running Man, Powell loves doing practical stunts. With all due respect to Bruce Willis (whom I also love as an action star and did the most famous stunt in Die Hard), Powell seems willing to go a little further for a great stunt.
What made Willis perfect for the role of John McClane wasn’t his willingness to jump off buildings, but his charm and humor. Here is where I’m not quite ready to give Powell the edge over Willis, but Powell is great. He is charming, witty and disarming, just like Willis. The ability to play a snarky smart-ass would be key for anyone leading a new incarnation of Die Hard, and Powell’s got it. I loved him in Anyone But You, which you can watch with a Hulu subscription, and he was also great in Hit Man, which is accessible with a Netflix subscription. Powell’s got the complete package needed to pull this off, so let’s make it happen!
