Bruce Willis' kids finally settle the debate on whether 'Die Hard' is a Christmas movie or not

Every action film enthusiast is familiar with veteran actor Bruce Willis and perhaps his most iconic film "Die Hard." Over the years, fans have watched and rewatched it multiple times and idolized Willis' character, John McClane, a hardened police detective who is always ready to fight the criminals in society. But fans have also carried on a debate for decades about whether "Die Hard" is a Christmas film or not. But Willis' three older daughters from his previous marriage to Demi Moore have teamed up to settle this debate for once and all.

"I've collected all three Willis girls," Rumer Willis posted on her Instagram story on December 19 while filming herself and her sisters Scout and Tallulah in a car. They responded to a fan's question on the Instagram story, which asked them to clarify the "Die Hard" Christmas movie debate. "It’s a Christmas movie," Scout answered. Rumer, 35, agreed with her sister and said, "It's a Christmas movie." The 1988 blockbuster has been a subject of heated debates amongst fans ever since it was released. 

The first film in the "Die Hard" franchise takes place during Christmas, features several Christmas songs on the soundtrack and sends a message that the power lies in the unity of family and friendship. Willis' character, who was striving to save his wife and several people taken hostage by a terrorist, became a fan favorite and "Die Hard" gradually got a cult status as one of the best Christmas movies amongst viewers. Though a lot of others opposed the idea.

But the man behind the iconic police detective character deserves to have his own opinion as well. Willis appeared at a Comedy Central roast in 2018 and joked about the film and shared his thoughts about it being a Christmas movie. "I did this roast for one reason and for one reason only—to settle something once and for all," he said during the show. "Now, please listen very carefully. Die Hard is not a Christmas movie. It's a goddamn Bruce Willis movie. So, yippee ki-yay to all of you!"

Unfortunately, it is less likely to expect Willis to make a big screen comeback in the future after taking a step back from his illustrious acting career as he battled aphasia, which affected his communication abilities. Rumer shared the heartbreaking news of her father's deteriorating condition through an emotional Instagram post. "To Bruce's amazing supporters, as a family, we wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities. As a result of this and with much consideration, Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him," the caption read.

The Willis family strives to stick together and be by his side, as Rumer concluded the post by writing what her father always says to encourage them. "As Bruce always says, 'Live it up' and together we plan to do just that," she wrote and then mentioned Willis' current wife, Emma, her two sisters and her step-sisters Mabel and Evelyn. According to the LA Times, those present on the sets of Bruce Willis' recent movies suspected something was off. "We also need to abbreviate his dialogue a bit so that there are no monologues," the email from Mike Burns to the film's screenwriter read. Willis might not return to the screen, but at least the debate is settled for now and we can go back to watching our holiday films.

This article originally appeared on 12.28.2023.