Tom Hanks. (AP File)

Tom Hanks was forced to omit sex scenes his new movie Angels & Demons - because there just wasn't any time for "smooching" in the action-packed film.

Hanks stars as Harvard professor Robert Langdon who investigates the murder of a physicist and a terrorist act against the Vatican by a secret brotherhood.

But moviemakers had to downplay the blossoming romance between Hanks' character and his female companion, played by Ayelet Zurer. And the actor is disappointed he didn't get to kiss his pretty co-star.

He tells Parade magazine, "We really don't have time to make out or go to bed when Cardinals are being killed on the hour. We tried to work it into the screenplay over and over again. We were like, 'Isn't there a bigger car with a bigger backseat?'

"But we were stuck with an Alfa Romeo so we didn't have an opportunity to grab some smooching on the way to the Pantheon or the Piazza Del Poppolo. It's my loss, but I think it did make it easier for Ayelet."