Bruce Willis' Cult Classic Action Thriller Officially Returns 28 Years Later

There aren't many actors more synonymous with action movies than Bruce Willis, but for every Die Hard, Armageddon or The Fifth Element, there's another entry in his enormous filmography that has spent decades flying considerably further under the radar. One of those forgotten '90s thrillers is now preparing for another shot at finding an audience — and it'll look considerably better this time around.

Nearly 28 years after its original theatrical release, Mercury Rising is officially coming to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray in early 2027. Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is preparing the new physical release, marking the first time Willis' 1998 action thriller has received a 4K upgrade after its previous Blu-ray edition arrived more than 15 years ago.

Art Jeffries, a renegade FBI agent, combats ruthless federal agents to protect Simon, a nine-year-old autistic boy who has cracked the government's new "unbreakable" code. He can read MERCURY, the advanced encryption code, as easily as other kids read English. This skill renders the new billion-dollar secret code vulnerable, especially if enemies of the United States should learn of Simon's abilities and capture him.

Program chief Nick Kudrow orders the "security threat" eliminated, but Kudrow hasn't counted on Jeffries getting involved. As they are trailed by deadly assassins, Jeffries quickly realizes that no one can be trusted. Now time is running out, and he discovers his only hope of survival is using Simon's special ability to bring their adversaries to justice.

The cast is led by Willis (Die Hard) as Art Jeffries, alongside Alec Baldwin (The Departed) as NSA chief Nicholas Kudrow, Miko Hughes (Pet Sematary) as Simon Lynch, Chi McBride (Boston Public) as Tommy Jordan, Kim Dickens (Fear the Walking Dead) as Stacey Siebring, Robert Stanton (Mr. Mercedes) as Dean Crandell, Bodhi Elfman (Gone in 60 Seconds) as Leo Pedranski, and Carrie Preston (Elsbeth) as Emily Lang. The film is directed by Harold Becker (Sea of Love).

How Good Is 'Mercury Rising'?

Critics weren't exactly rushing to crack the code when Mercury Rising arrived in April 1998. The movie currently holds just 21% on Rotten Tomatoes, with its combination of conspiracy thriller and conventional Willis action vehicle failing to impress reviewers.

Its theatrical performance wasn't spectacular either. Mercury Rising earned approximately $32.9 million domestically, although another $60.1 million internationally pushed its worldwide total to roughly $93.1 million.

Mercury Rising will be released on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray in early 2027.