Renny Harlin Recalls Bruce Willis Argument Over John McClane's Humor on Die Hard 2

The success of Die Hard 2 proved that a sequel could be made with essentially the same premise as the original film, and audiences would still show up. Die Hard 2 significantly outgrossed the original movie, which remains a classic of the action genre and one of the most memorable hits of the 1980s. The sequel was directed by Renny Harlin, who took over from the original film's John McTiernan. On the latest episode of his podcast, Harlin recalled working with Bruce Willis on Die Hard 2, and told a story about how they resolved a major creative conflict. Harlin said that Willis absolutely refused to lean into John McClane's humor, a creative decision that Harlin simply couldn't agree with.

"You know, those quips, and funny lines, and smirks that I did in Die Hard. That's bulls**t. I'm just going to play it straight," Willis told Harlin, who responded, "But Bruce, why do you think there is Die Hard 2? It's because people loved your character, John McClane. Who is he? He is a blue-collar cop with a sarcastic sense of humor, and that's the character. It doesn't matter if we're blowing up a building or an airport. It's about him, and his relationship with his wife, and his attitude toward authority." Willis wouldn't budge, and Harlin recalled feeling "powerless." To get them out of this mess, the director turned to producer Joel Silver for support. The two met with Willis and had a long discussion about how to proceed, and came up with a solution.

Renny Harlin and Bruce Willis Struck a Truce

Harlin continued, "The result of that meeting was that we agreed to do as many takes as he wanted his way, but then one take my way. That's how we shot the whole movie: eight serious takes and one funny take.” Every single moment of levity that Willis expressed, be it a slight smirk or even the glimmer of a smile, ended up in the movie. When Harlin screened his rough cut for the studio's top brass, he was given positive feedback, especially for the film's humor. When the studio boss asked him if he could add more jokes, Harlin said that he'd used them all up. The filmmaker stressed that he wasn't telling the story to demean Willis, but he was just expressing the importance of going with your gut. Die Hard 2 was a massive hit, grossing $240 million worldwide against a reported budget of $70 million. Three more sequels followed, with the latest —A Good Day to Die Hard — releasing in 2013 to poor reviews and mediocre box-office response.