UNITED KINGDOM: Bruce Willis and co-star Maggie Q attend the UK premiere of the latest Die Hard movie

Record ID: 219691

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: Bruce Willis and co-star Maggie Q attend the UK premiere of the latest Die Hard movie
  • Date: 22nd June 2007
  • Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JUNE 20, 2007) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRUCE WILLIS SAYING: "Just the content of that film, the circumstances, everybody in that building, me in that building. The bad guys in the building, the hostages in that building, it was very tight and you know it was 1987. John McTiernan set a template with that film and three more Die Hards and also for a lot of other films that might have been Die Hards but went on to be other films."
  • Embargoed: 7th July 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Reuters ID: LVA9ASDT9LDXFNR7Y5HDRMK29PRT
  • Story Text: Hollywood super star Bruce Willis and fellow cast members Maggie Q, Timothy Olyphant, Justin Long and director Len Wiseman attended the UK premiere of "Die Hard 4.0" in London's Leicester Square on Wednesday (June 20).
    Fans of the movie franchise have had to wait 12 years to see Willis reprise the role of John McLane, a character Willis has made iconic after the first Die Hard film was released in 1988
    In "Die Hard 4.0" Willis, 52, returns as McClane, a tough New York cop who has to do battle with a new bread of cyber-terrorists, hell-bent on bringing America to its knees.
    In the film, Hong Kong-based actress and skilled martial artist, Maggie Q takes on the role of Mai. Talking to Reuters on the red carpet she said fans of the franchise would not be disappointed with the film's action scenes.
    "These great summer movies, like action moves, Bruce, I mean the amount of action and how impactful it is in the film is something really exciting and fun," she said.
    The first film in the franchise "Die Hard," was named the best action film ever by Entertainment Weekly magazine -- two weeks before the series' fourth instalment, "Live Free or Die Hard," hits theatres.
    The magazine unveiled a list of top 25 action movies picked by its writers and editors spanning a wide range of films: from 1938's "The Adventures of Robin Hood" to director Akira Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai" in 1954 (No. 6) and the 2004 computer-animated film, "The Incredibles" (No. 25).
    Space adventure "Aliens" followed "Die Hard" in the No. 2 slot with "Raiders of the Lost Ark" at No. 3 and "The Road Warrior" and "The Matrix" at No. 4 and No. 5, respectively.
    But it was 1988's "Die Hard," starring Willis as tough-as-nails New York cop John McClane who battles terrorists in a Los Angeles high-rise, that blew the biggest Hollywood fireball for the magazine's staff.
    Back in summer 1988, "Die Hard" was notable mostly for its gun battles and explosions. The movie raked in 138 million U.S. dollars world-wide and made Willis a major movie star.
    "Just the content of that film, the circumstances, everybody in that building, me in that building. The bad guys in the building, the hostages in that building, it was very tight and you know it was 1987. John McTiernan set a template with that film and three more Die Hards and also for a lot of other films that might have been Die Hards but went on to be other films," said Willis about the original Die Hard movie.
    Two sequels, "Die Hard 2: Die Harder" and "Die Hard With a Vengeance," followed in 1990 and 1995, respectively.
    Die Hard 4.0 follows with the same kind of non stop action as the previous films.
    However in this film, the ladies don't get off as lightly as audiences might expect. On the red carpet Willis talked about a scene where McClane receives a comprehensive beating from his on-screen nemesis, Mai.
    "Look at her, she is right over there put the camera on her. You would think I would be able to kick that girls ass but not so much. I caught a beating. I tell you I hit her with the light switch, I had her light out, she gout up right off the floor and came back after me, kicked me out a window, interesting, interesting. I am thinking about going over there and picking a fight with her right now," he said.
    The Hollywood actor, who has recently discovered his British ancestry, soaked up the welcome laid on for him by fans at Leicester Square.
    Telling Reuters that his roots stem from a fishing village in the North East of London resulted in genuine confusion between the reporter and Willis as to the exact locality of this small town. Ecton, a hamlet located in the East Midlands of the United Kingdom should not to be confused with Acton, in the Borough of Ealing, West London.
    "I recently found out that my family is from a little fishing village up in the north east coast of London called Ecton," Willis told Reuters. "Have you heard of it?" he asked.
    "Acton?" questioned the reporter. "Yes I have."
    "Acton, yes Acton... The blood of pirates flows through these veins," Willis announced.
    "Die Hard 4.0" opens is released world-wide late June and early July.
    The fourth film, "Live Free or Die Hard," lands in theatres in the UK on July 4 certificate -15.
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