Richardson takes over Die Hard 4

There’s some movement on the long-awaited “Die Hard 4”, a studio insider tells Moviehole today.

The previously rumoured-to-be-titled “Die Hard 4: Die Hardest” is now going by the avant-garde title “DH 4.0”.

Screenwriter Marc Bomback, of “Godsend” fame, is off the project and Doug Richardson, the scribe for Willis’ latest “Hostage” is on, with a script apparently to be done and dusted within the next 4 months.

Bruce Willis is clearing his schedule for a Spring/Summer 05 shoot. “Die Hard” co-star Reginald Vel Johnson will also appear, back in the guise of cop Al Powell – he too, is currently in talks.

No word on a plot, location or further co-stars as yet.

Word from LA sources give reports of a possible merging of screenplays penned by Ben Trebilcook [“Daisy Scarlett”] and Bomback, with Richardson – who also penned “Die Hard 2: Die Harder” with Steven E. De Souza, as well as the original “Bad Boys” and “Money Train” – sorting them both out.

The fourth “Die Hard” film has been in the works for a couple of years now. Bruce Willis wasn’t so keen at it at one point but seems to have accepted the fact that he’s in dire need of a hit and this might be his best bet. The strongest plot rumour suggests that the film will centre about Cop John McClane (Willis) and his daughter, though that might change with Richardson’s script.