--- title: 'Die Hard' Writer Confirms It Is A Christmas Movie description: Yippee-ki-yay, movie lovers, Die Hard really is a Christmas movie canonical: https://time.com/5079487/die-hard-christmas-movie/ author: Melissa Locker article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-12-26T15:47:36.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-12T08:43:33.635Z og:title: The 'Die Hard' Writer Just Settled the Christmas Movie Debate Once and For All og:description: Yippee-ki-yay, 'Die Hard' fans og:url: https://time.com/5079487/die-hard-christmas-movie/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1acdbf197dd4788b/6988f686fb4eac76cf8951db/die-hard-bruce-willis.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4281 og:image:height: 2408 og:image:alt: Bruce Willis In 'Die Hard' og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: The 'Die Hard' Writer Just Settled the Christmas Movie Debate Once and For All twitter:description: Yippee-ki-yay, 'Die Hard' fans twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1acdbf197dd4788b/6988f686fb4eac76cf8951db/die-hard-bruce-willis.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # The _Die Hard_ Writer Just Settled the Christmas Movie Debate Once and For All > Sponsored content. 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Terms and conditions apply. * Savings buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Savings Account. * No ATM fees from Ally Bank at Allpoint and Moneypass ATMs plus we reimburse for fees charged by other ATM owners nationwide up to $10 per statement cycle. * Early direct deposit offers eligible direct deposits up to two days sooner. * Spending buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Spending Account. ## Video: Die Hard - Official Trailer [Watch (HLS stream): Die Hard - Official Trailer](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/22vXFo8p.m3u8) (2:39)  _Published 2017-12-26. Die Hard - Official Trailer_ by [Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/) ## Melissa Locker Dec 26, 2017 3:47 PM UTC Die Hard - Official Trailer by [Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/) ## Melissa Locker Dec 26, 2017 3:47 PM UTC Yippee-ki-yay, _Die Hard_ fans. Go ahead and switch from the Hallmark Channel’s Christmas fare and fire up _Die Hard_, because the film’s writer has confirmed that it is indeed a [Christmas story](http://time.com/4597160/christmas-movies-stream-2016/?iid=sr-link6). CNN reporter Jake Tapper used his investigative journalism skills to get to the bottom of one of the burning questions that is dividing the nation—is _Die Hard_ a Christmas movie? Tapper reached out to the film’s writer, Steven de Souza, on Twitter and asked him to settle the debate once and for all. > [](https://twitter.com/jaketapper/status/944740130681753601) > [](https://twitter.com/StevenEdeSouza/status/944812347461218305) According to de Souza, _Die Hard_ really is a Christmas [movie](http://time.com/5060626/national-film-registry-2017/?iid=sr-link1), but only “because the studio rejected the Purim draft.” While the idea of [Bruce Willis](http://time.com/5002211/bruce-willis-is-almost-unrecognizable-in-his-highly-successful-halloween-costume/?iid=sr-link1)’s sardonic, seen-it-all police officer John McClane battling [Alan Rickman](http://time.com/4181498/alan-rickman-appreciation/?iid=sr-link7) as a Hans Gruber-esque Haman laying siege to the office Purim party will make many movie-lovers chuckle, it’s good to know that _Die Hard_ can safely be added to the Christmas movie playlist next to _It’s A Wonderful Life_ and _A Christmas Story_. Getting the definitive answer to this long-running question, isn’t the only way that Tapper applied his journalistic skills to the _Die Hard_ legacy. He also also transformed the action movie into an epic, rhyming poem that tells of the struggle between good and evil that took place at the Nakatomi Tower on Christmas Eve, all tapped out in a series of tweets. > [](https://twitter.com/jaketapper/status/945475213797584896) ## Transcript [00:00] [ BLANK_AUDIO ] [00:04] [ MUSIC ] [00:08] It's Christmas Eve in L. A. California. Is Daddy coming [00:10] home with you? Well, we'll see what Santa and Mommy [00:13] can do, okay? And New York cop, [00:18] John McClane, has come to see his wife. I missed you. [00:21] Instead [ SOUND ] [00:24] he's going to have to save her. Sit down. Hey! Within [00:30] this skyscraper high above the city 12 terrorists have [00:34] declared war. They're about to be taught a lesson in the [00:34] real use of power. [ SOUND ] There is brilliant. Because I [00:34] am interested in the $ 640 million in your vault. [00:46] As they are ruthless. But I'm telling you, you're just going to [00:47] have to kill me. Okay. [ SOUND ] We do it the hard way. [00:47] Now, the [00:54] last thing McClane wants. Think, damnit, think. Is to be a [00:57] hero. Where's Holly? Tucker! Where! But he doesn't have [01:01] a choice. What [01:03] does [01:06] he [01:08] think [01:10] he's [01:12] doing? [01:15] [ SOUND ] [01:17] It's [01:19] a [01:22] job. [01:24] [ MUSIC ] [01:26] They [01:28] have [01:31] already [01:33] killed [01:35] one [01:37] hostage. [01:40] This [01:42] channel [01:44] is [01:46] reserved [01:49] for [01:51] emergency [01:53] calls [01:55] only. [01:58] Lady, [02:00] do [02:02] I [02:04] sound [02:07] like [02:09] I'm ordering a pizza! [ NOISE ] He's inside? Who is he? [02:09] Get inside! [ SOUND ] Who are you then? You are most [02:10] troublesome for a security guy. [ SOUND ] Sorry, wrong [02:10] guess, Hans. Would you like to go for double jeopardy? [02:10] [ SOUND ] Do you really think you have a chance against [02:11] us, Mister Cowboy? Yippee ki yay, mother. [ MUSIC ] You [02:11] just destroyed a building. [ SOUND ] [ NOISE ] I am in [02:11] charge of this situation. Well I got some bad news for you, [02:12] from up here doesn't look like you're in charge jack. [02:12] [ NOISE ] He is alone, he is tired, and he hasn't [02:12] diddlysquat from anybody down here. [ NOISE ] Hey pal, [02:13] how you feeling? All things being equal, I'd rather be in [02:13] Philadelphia. [ SOUND ] I just want blood. And you'll have [02:13] it. [ SOUND ] Only John can drive somebody that crazy. [02:14] [ LAUGH ] [ SOUND ] He's an easy guy to like. Come out [02:14] to the [ UNKNOWN ], we'll get together, have a few laughs. [02:18] And a hard man to kill. [ SOUND ] [02:22] [ SOUND ] [02:25] Bruce Willis, Die Hard. Got invited to the Christmas party by [02:28] mistake. Who knew? 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