Bruce Willis will not take his shirt off in the fifth Die Hard movie.

The action hero is reprising his role as John McClane in A Good Day to Die Hard, the newest release in the hit franchise. Director John Moore says just as Bruce has aged in real life, so has his character in the film series.

"McClane's not getting his shirt off," John revealed to Empire magazine. "He's in his early fifties in the movies, and his joints ache a little bit more every time he jumps off a building."

The Irish director tried to honour the original character fans warmed to. Rather than glorify John McClane as a super human type, he's portrayed as a real person with a sense of humour. That's not to say he's going to scrimp on the action and high drama, which he promises will satisfy even the most modern action movie fans.

"We're not going to superhero this man. This is a different kind of fix. This is for people who get a kick out of the Bourne movies," John explained. "I'm not saying it won't be fun. We're making a Die Hard. That's the point of it he has a sense of humour in a world that doesn't."