Die Hard 5: Any life left in the franchise?

It's been 23 years since off-duty cop John McClane (Bruce Willis) single-handedly fought off a dozen terrorists in a Los Angeles office building in the first Die Hard, and, true to its name, the franchise still won't die. Fox Filmed Entertainment's Tom Rothman has announced that a fifth Die Hard will hit theaters, mercilessly, in February 2013. In the new film, A Good Day to Die Hard, McClane jets to Russia to get his son out of jail. But, according to the announcement, "things surrounding his son's arrest are not as they appear and world-threatening terrorist hijinks ensue." Is this welcome news for action-movie fans, or has the franchise already had its day?

Sounds good... sorta: "I'll give this news a muted "yippee-ki-yay," says Drew McWeeny at HitFix. Russia? A son in trouble? Hey, "I guess if you're going to keep making Die Hard films, the only way to do it is to get bigger and bigger and broader and broader." I just hope Willis finds someone suitable to play his son, "because so much of the film will hinge on whatever chemistry they have together."

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We're not optimistic: John McClane has "come a long way since he was running around a tower block in bare feet and a dirty vest," say Glen Chapman and Simon Brew at Den of Geek. Now, according to the studio, "father and son McClane must work together to keep each other alive and keep the world safe for democracy." That Jack Bauer-style synopsis does not inspire confidence. Nor does that title, which sounds like "the crappiest one that came out of the executive brainstorm session."

"Die Hard 5: Release date and 'interesting' title confirmed"

Regardless, this probably won't even be the last Die Hard: "The presence of McClane's son suggests that the film is going for a 'pass the torch' approach — one that would likely see the aging Willis bow out of the franchise in favor of some younger blood," says Kofi Outlaw at Screen Rant. Fans haven't embraced that tactic when Hollywood tried it with other classic franchises, like Indiana Jones and Ghostbusters, but maybe it can work here, depending on who gets cast as the son. "Some free advice: Do not make it Taylor Lautner."

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