The Kidd here, and what better way to start off my new career here at AICN than some DIE HARD 5 casting. The search for John McClane's son is over in the next installment of the DIE HARD franchise, A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD.
Jai Courtney, who starred in the first season of STARZ's SPARTACUS: BLOOD AND SAND, has landed the role of John McClane Jr., as confirmed by 20th Century Fox co-chair and CEO Tom Rothman on Jim Rome's radio show. Courtney beat out the likes of Liam Hemsworth, Aaron Paul, D.J. Cotrona and James Badge Dale, who had reportedly made up a previous short list of finalists.
Courtney had recently been cast as one of the leads in the adaptation of Lee Child's ONE SHOT, and, according to Rothman, Tom Cruise had called to suggest him since he had just cast him in a recent movie. Cruise must think highly of Courtney's work to recommend him for the potential future of DIE HARD, post-John McClane. How much longer can Bruce Willis possibly keep doing these? Shouldn't he have stopped after DIE HARD WITH A VENGEANCE anyway?
He Who Is Called Dogmatic was tuned into his radio when Rothman popped up on Rome's show today, and sent in the following details:
Three scenes were used to audition Courtney, including a back and forth verbal battle between he and McClane, a scene where they are flirting with some girls together, and one with an emotional reconcilliation between them.
Another tidbit is that for the first ⅔ of the movie he will refer to himself as John Genarro.
They are currently scouting how much to shoot in Moscow.
What say you about Courtney as the McClane the son? At least there was no truth to those ridiculous Tim Tebow rumors, right?
Have a pleasant immediate future.
