Home Alone star Macaulay Culkin recently said that Die Hard isn’t a Christmas movie, and he makes a good point.

A Christmas classic beyond compare, the movie following the life of George Bailey and his family is a staple during this season of hope and second chances. Father Michael Ward, co-author of Popcorn with the Pope, told the Register:

Macaulay Culkin is Christmas movie royalty thanks to his iconic role as Kevin McCallister in 1990’s “Home Alone” and 1992’s “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York,” so perhaps he’s as good authority as any when it comes to answering one of the internet’s most hotly-debated film questions: Is “Die Hard” a Christmas movie?

Deschanel, who can now be seen performing opposite Daredevil: Born Again ’s Charlie Cox in the 2025 movie release Merv (which can be streamed with a Prime Video subscription) gave her Die Hard take while speaking with People. She’s in the camp of people who believes it is a Christmas movie, saying:

Including 'Die Hard,' 'Dreamgirls,' 'Edward Scissorhands' and more films that bring the holiday merriment in unconventional ways

Zooey Deschanel, forever linked to Christmas thanks to Elf, just lent her take to the debate whether Die Hard is really a Christmas movie. In an exclusive interview, the New Girl alum offered a clear opinion,

One of the great debates in pop culture is whether or not the 1988 film ‘ Die Hard ’ is a Christmas movie. This action film starring Bruce Willis takes place during Christmas, but it does not feature Santa Claus as the main character, so for many fans, the film is not considered a Christmas movie.

The annual debate is back. Is Die Hard a Christmas movie or just an action film? Alabama, weigh in on this by casting your vote. in our poll.

Things like decorating the Christmas tree, going to see holiday lights, baking and decorating cookies or even having a cookie swap with friends and family, are just a few of the many, many traditions people enjoy as the weather grows cold and the calendar ticks its way down to December 25th.

It takes no effort at all to find stories about big time actors who habitually show up late, boss around members of the crew, and bolt to their trailer at every opportunity, but that’s the opposite of the man with whom Jerry Bruckheimer worked telling the story of a crew of oil drillers who become astronauts and save the planet.

That's why, for the purposes of this list, only movies that are primarily action movies will be considered. Amazing though masterpieces like The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Empire Strikes Back may be,