The famed action star Bruce Willis is a bona fide movie icon for his mega-hit Die Hard, but how much was he paid to star in the classic action flick? The actor’s oeuvre contains many successful films, including the long-lasting Die Hard franchise. Naturally, considering Bruce Willis' stature as one of the biggest names in Hollywood, many wonder how much Bruce Willis was paid for Die Hard, perhaps the most formative movie of his career.

Starting out on television during the mid-1980s in Moonlighting, Bruce Willis quickly made a name for himself. Cast as the lead in 20th Century Fox’s Die Hard property in 1988, Willis instantly became a recognizable face worldwide. In the time of action hero titles flooding the cineplexes of the ‘80s, Bruce Willis found himself in rare territory — being at the top of the box office and among the Hollywood elite. As Die Hard’s hero, John McClane, Willis’ star power gained him the fortune of being in demand and heavily allured by top studios into the '90s.

Beyond the shockingly high payout movie stars receive today, Bruce Willis was paid rather handsomely for Die Hard. As compensation, Bruce Willis’ salary for the feature’s lead came to the tune of $5 million. In Bruce’s case, the actor was paid a shocking amount of money at the time for his Die Hard role. According to a 1988 article via The New York Times, Bruce Willis reportedly set a precedent in the hierarchy of Hollywood. Being paid this hefty sum to star in the first film of a potential Fox franchise “throws the business out of whack,” according to the former chairman of MGM. Bruce Willis’ huge jump in salary was compared to the huge Hollywood contenders like Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford — a hint of studios' investment in his future.

How Much Was Bruce Willis Paid For Die Hard Sequels?


Looking at the sequels to Bruce Willis’ ultra-popular action Die Hard series, the only way was up. Willis received a more substantial payment for 1990’s smash hit Die Hard 2 with an increased salary of $7.5 million. When it came to the action franchise’s third title, Die Hard With a Vengeance (1995), Willis had to be coaxed back to the starring role with a gigantic $15 million payment. This trend only continued into the new millennium.

The sequels continued after a long hiatus from the heroic John McClane character. Over 10 years later, Willis committed to the franchise with 2007’s Live Free or Die Hard, earning a whopping $25 million for the fourth film. Its follow-up, A Good Day To Die Hard (2013), was offered to Bruce Willis for an unspecified amount to appear for a final time as John McClane. Now that the megastar is permanently retired due to aphasia, there’s no chance of a sixth Die Hard film that would have likely earned Willis even higher pay. Nonetheless, Bruce Willis was paid a stunning amount for Die Hard, redrawing the map of movie star salaries forever.