10 Movies That Abandoned The Source Material (For The Better)
2. Die Hard
Despite putting a credit to the original author right there in the opening credits, most have completely forgotten that Die Hard is based on a book, and didn't just jump out of John McTiernan's adrenaline-addled subconscious.
"Nothing Lasts Forever", the original novel by Roderick Thorp, might have the same basic idea, but we say that using basic in huge bold lettering. So much is different beyond "guy gets trapped in skyscraper with armed gunmen and must adapt," that it's a wonder why they bothered buying the film rights to begin with.
For one, John McClane is in his 70's, and was a fighter pilot during WWII instead of a New York cop. He isn't meeting his wife, but his daughter, whom he's actually on pretty decent terms with.
Hans Gruber and his gang actually ARE environmental terrorists, but instead of the Nakatomi plaza, it's the HQ of an oil tycoon who's been gun running to violent dictatorships. The ill gotten gains of which Hans says he plans to return to the American people as justice for them unknowingly paying their taxes to fund these crimes.
There's a lot more I could list; so many differences, additions, alterations and so forth that makes these two stories have basically nothing in common. They don't even share a name. This is one of the most insane and dogged distances from a source material I've ever seen.
Honestly too? I still prefer Die Hard.