A new survey by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has settled the long-running debate over whether Die Hard qualifies as a Christmas film, with the British public delivering a definitive verdict: it is not. The poll of 2,000 people found that 44% do not consider the 1988 action film a Christmas movie, while 38% defend its festive credentials. A further 17% were undecided.
The survey also revealed the UK’s favourite Christmas film: Home Alone, chosen by 20% of respondents. It was followed by Love Actually (9%), It’s a Wonderful Life (8%), and Elf (7%). Only 5% selected Die Hard as their top festive film.
When asked what makes the perfect Christmas film, a heartwarming story topped the list (33%), followed by family friendliness (15%) and humour (13%). Just 2% sought a tear-jerker. David Austin, BBFC chief executive, said the research shows “heartwarming, family-friendly stories continue to sit at the heart of the nation’s Christmas viewing traditions”.
The debate over Die Hard was reignited last month when actor Macaulay Culkin, star of Home Alone, told a live audience that Die Hard is not a Christmas movie, drawing boos. He argued that it is “just a movie that’s set at Christmas”, unlike Home Alone, which would not work if set on another holiday. Director John McTiernan has said he did not intend it as a Christmas film, while Bruce Willis joked in 2018: “Die Hard is not a Christmas movie, it’s a goddamn Bruce Willis movie.”
Separately, the survey found that 18% of Britons make going to the cinema a Christmas tradition, with a third going before Christmas Eve and 20% on Boxing Day.
