Charlize Theron would love to put her own genderbent spin on Die Hard. The actress has starred in a wide variety of roles over the course of her career, from indie dramas to Oscar contenders, but she’s well-known for her turns in action movies such as Atomic Blonde and Mad Max: Fury Road. Most recently, Theron headlined Netflix’s The Old Guard. But there’s one action franchise, in particular, that she’s been interested in updating.
Die Hard premiered in 1988, with Bruce Willis in the role of John McClane, and it became a box office hit. Over the decades, it has also been reassessed as one of the best action films of all time. It’s credited with revitalizing the genre, with particular praise going to the depiction of McClane as a decidedly flawed heroic character. Sequels were also readily approved, in addition to video games and other merchandise. In new remarks, Theron doubled down on wanting to update the classic film.
Speaking with Vanity Fair, Theron was asked about her recent endorsement of an idea that suggested casting her in a Die Hard spinoff of sorts where Theron’s character would go on a rampage to save her wife. The Oscar winner elaborated on why she initially responded to the potential plot on Twitter, making it clear that she would be up for the role. You can read Theron’s quote below:
Yeah, I mean, it’s a great idea. That’s why I replied on Twitter. Because I just thought that was kind of brilliant. I was like, “This person needs to start pitching. That’s a great idea.” And the fact that it would be two women, I was like, “Yeah, sign me on.”
If the genderbent take on Die Hard picks up steam, it wouldn’t necessarily need to have a connection with the original franchise. The success of Die Hard led to a slew of features with a similar premise, essentially centered around any hero that has to overcome the odds in an unusual and frequently confining setting. But, if there was a push to update the seminal Bruce Willis movie, it could be for the best. While the most recent entry in the series, A Good Day to Die Hard, performed well financially, it was panned by critics and left the franchise at a standstill. Theron’s involvement could give the proceedings a shot in the arm.
Theron has already proved to be quite capable of leading a tentpole project. But her previous forays into action have often been more serious and propulsive. And, in the case of Mad Max: Fury Road, the film was largely notable for its subtle character moments. It would be interesting to see how Theron would fair with a story like Die Hard, which allows for a little more humor and slyly acknowledges its own silliness. If the online reaction points to anything, it’s that there’s already a built-in audience.
