The Christmas Eve hostage crisis in Die Hard occurs at Nakatomi Plaza.
John McClane, a New York City police officer, visits his estranged wife Holly at the Los Angeles headquarters of the Nakatomi Corporation. Hans Gruber and his armed group seize the building during a company party, turning McClane’s visit into a one-person rescue mission.
The film identifies the fictional building as Nakatomi Plaza. Its exterior is the real Fox Plaza in Century City, Los Angeles, a 34-story tower completed in 1987. Production used the building’s construction and distinctive exterior to create the movie’s principal location.
Die Hard was released in 1988 and directed by John McTiernan. Bruce Willis played McClane, while Alan Rickman played Gruber in his film debut. The building’s name is sometimes confused with Fox Plaza because that is the real structure used for its exterior shots.