The blood-soaked machismo of Bruce Willis powered the action thriller “A Good Day to Die Hard” to box office supremacy with a never-say-die weekend haul of $25 million.

A quarter-century after the original “Die Hard” catapulted Willis into superstardom, the franchise’s fifth flick made mincemeat of the critics who dissed it with mediocre reviews.

“He’s one of the few old-guard action stars who still has a solid career going,” said Paul Dergarabedian, a box-office tracker for Hollywood.com.

The road comedy “Identity Thief” also made out like a bandit — capturing the No. 2 slot by scamming its way to $23.4 million in ticket sales in the U.S. and Canada.

Trailing the laughfest was the romance “Safe Haven,” which pulled in $21.4 million.

Grabbing the No. 4 spot was “Escape from Planet Earth,” an animated flick about aliens, which raked in $16.1 million. And sleepwalking its way into the No. 5 post was rom-com zombie thriller “Warm Bodies,” which scored $9 million. [Source]

Gallery Link:
– “A Good Day To Die Hard” Fan Celebration

While in Paris to promote the upcoming release of A Good Day to Die Hard, star Bruce Willis was presented with the highest culture award in France, the Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters, in an evening ceremony here.

Culture Minister Aurelie Filippetti said the medal was to honor his contribution to film over the past thirty years.

“It is an honor, a real honor, to be here,” said Willis.  “To get this very high honor for the commanders, I couldn’t be more pleased.”

Filippetti praised his famous Die Hard character as a “reluctant hero,” and cited his diverse body of work including Moonrise Kingdom, Pulp Fiction and Unbreakable. “He knows to sometimes leave his ‘tough guy’ costume and return to work with amazing filmmakers,” she said about his work with directors Wes Anderson, Quentin Tarantino and M. Night Shayamalan. 

“I always feel at home when I’m in Paris and when I’m in France.  I feel very comfortable here and always look forward to coming back,” added Willis.

Willis has also been in the news here for his support of the French vodka company Belvedere’s financial restructuring.  As the face of the company’s Sobieski label, he holds 3 percent of the company and would see his interest reduced in the deal, but told newspaper Le Figaro that he supports the plan to protect the 3,650 jobs that would be in jeopardy.  Shareholders vote Feb. 12 , though Willis said Monday he does not plan on attending the meeting in person.

A Good Day to Die Hard will be released Feb. 20 in France. [Source]

Gallery Links:
– GQ Magazine Germany (March 2013)
– GQ Magazine France (March 2013)

Gallery Links:
– February 12nd, 2013
– Bruce Willis Decorated At French Ministry of Culture
– February 11st, 2013

Gallery Links:
– February 07th, 2013
– A Good Day To Die Hard – UK Premiere
– ‘Die Hard – Ein Guter Tag Zum Sterben’ Berlin Photocall
– ‘Die Hard – Ein Guter Tag Zum Sterben’ Germany Premiere
– ‘A Good Day to Die Hard’ film photocall at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hill
– Twentieth Century Fox Celebrates 25 Years Of “Die Hard”