Die Hard director John McTiernan has weighed in on whether or not the classic 1988 film is a Christmas movie or not.

For years people have debated whether the action picture, which centres around lead protagonist John McClane (Bruce Willis), fits in among the plethora of festive films.

Willis gave his verdict two years ago, firmly positioning himself in the ‘not a Christmas movie’ camp.

And now director McTiernan has had his say.

In a lengthy video posted by the American Film Institute, he said: "We hadn’t intended it to be a Christmas movie, but the joy that came from it is what turned it into a Christmas movie."

McTiernan went on to explain the connection between Die Hard and American politics.

He said: "There are genuinely evil people out there. My hope at Christmas this year is that you will all remember that authoritarians are low-status, angry men who have gone to rich people and said, ‘If you give us power, we will make sure nobody takes your stuff’.

"And their obsessions with guns and boots and uniforms and squad cars and all that stuff. And all those things you amass with power meant to scare us, meant to shut us up so we don’t kick them to the side of the road and decent people of the world get on with building a future."