New Images Online!

The folks at ComingSoon.net have posted a whole bunch of new images from 'The Da Vinci Code' movie! Follow this link for more! [More]

How true is the 'Da Vinci Code'?

A line from Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code" tells you why it's easily the most disputed religious novel of all time: "Almost everything our fathers taught us about Christ is false." With 46 million copies in print, "Da Vinci" has long been a headache for Christian scholars and historians, who are worried about the influence on the faith from a single source they regard as wrong-headed. [More]

Agents foresee requests for ‘Da Vinci Code’ experiences

This summer, the holy grail of travel might, in fact, be the Holy Grail. The Da Vinci Code — the blockbuster that has dominated best-seller charts for years — is expected to spur travel to Europe, especially sites integral to the plot of the thriller. A smartly written (and controversial) story of mystery and intrigue set in history-rich Europe, The Da Vinci Code combines religion and art in a fastpaced tale that weaves through London, Paris and Roslin, Scotland. [More]

The X-factor

He's a national treasure: an acting colossus whose extraordinary repertoire has taken in everything from Alfred the Great to Zebedee. And with the Da Vinci Code and X-Men 3 due for release next month, Sir Ian McKellen is showing no sign of putting up his feet. Here, he talks to Simon Garfield about American homophobics and English eccentrics, and why doing Corrie proves 'he can't be a star'. [More]

Vatican leader calls for 'Da Vinci' boycott

ROME -- A Vatican official on Friday called for a boycott of the coming "The Da Vinci Code" film, saying it contained "slanderous" offenses against Christianity that would have provoked a worldwide revolt had they been directed against Islam or the Holocaust, an Italian news agency reported. Msgr. Angelo Amato -- Pope Benedict XVI's former No. 2 man when Benedict was head of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith -- made the comments in a speech at the Pontifical Holy Cross University, which is run by the conservative Catholic movement Opus Dei, the Ansa news agency reported. "I hope all of you boycott this film," the agency quoted Amato as saying. [More]

Cracking the code

The Da Vinci Code “is not a reinvention of the novel”. After all, author Dan Brown’s controversial, conspiracy-minded religious thriller has become a global industry — the book has already sold 50 million hardback copies, with close to five million paperback sales in the UK so far. It has inspired reverential bus tours, been denounced by the Vatican and, most recently, been the subject of a high-profile court case.

But the court case is only one of the obstacles the film has had to overcome. Huge pressure was exerted on Sony, the studio making the film, from religious groups who wanted the film to differ from the novel, particularly in its inflammatory theory that for 2,000 years the Catholic Church has been covering up the fact that Christ was married to Mary Magdalene and fathered a daughter, whose bloodline has survived into present-day Europe. [More]

`Da Vinci' Judge Puts His Own Secret Code in Ruling

April 26 (Bloomberg) -- The British judge who cleared author Dan Brown of plagiarizing the plot of his bestseller ``The Da Vinci Code'' embedded his own secret code within the judgment as a ``bit of fun,'' starting a race among lawyers to crack it. Justice Peter Smith earlier this month rejected a claim brought by two authors, Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh, that Brown stole their theories for his thriller, which has sold around 40 million copies worldwide. Lawyers have noticed that the judge's 71-page decision contains a series of odd italicizations, the first of which seem to spell out ``Smithy code.'' [More]

'Da Vinci' Paperback Sales Top 1 Million

Dan Brown's international sensation has sold around 1.4 million copies in its first month as a paperback release, a big number for any book and astonishing for a novel that's already sold more than 40 million copies in hardcover. "There are more than 300 million people in the United States, so we still have a lot of potential sales out there," joked Russell Perreault, vice president and director of publicity for Vintage Books and Anchor Books, paperback imprints of Random House Inc. [More]

Get 'The Da Vinci Code' on paperback today!

Tom Hanks Says Da Vinci Code Will Benefit Churches

Tom Hanks, main actor of new film 'The Da Vinci Code,' claims that the movie could help ministers increase their congregations by starting a debate that will encourage more people to attend church. "I think the movie may end up helping churches do their job," The Sun quoted Hanks as telling US magazine Entertainment Weekly. “I think the movie may end up helping churches do their job. If they put up a sign saying: 'This Wednesday we are discussing the gospel', 12 people show up. But if a sign says: 'This Wednesday we are discussing The Da Vinci Code', 800 people show up.” [More]

Italy to Remove 'Da Vinci Code' Ad

ROME - The Interior Ministry said Tuesday it would remove a poster promoting "The Da Vinci Code" movie from the scaffolding of a Rome church undergoing renovation after its clergymen complained, officials said Tuesday. The enormous poster, featuring a picture of Da Vinci's "Mona Lisa" and the title of the upcoming film, has been plastered for a few weeks on the scaffolded facade of the church of St. Pantaleo, which is located just off a major thoroughfare in Rome's historic center. The Rev. Marco Fibbi, a spokesman for Rome's Vicariate, said the poster was "causing a problem." [More]

Author talks courts, 'Da Vinci Code,' and movie in home state

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. -- What with the crush outside the Music Hall, it might have been the pope, the president, maybe even Paris Hilton. But, no, it was reclusive author Dan Brown in the first public appearance since courts in London and the United States rejected charges of copyright infringement against his giant bestseller, ''The Da Vinci Code." Looking relaxed in a trademark combination of sportcoat over black shirt and pants, Brown, 40, joked that ''my agent tells people the only way to get me to appear in public is to sue me for plagiarism. There are forms in the lobby." [More]

Holy war against Da Vinci Code

The Scottish Catholic Church is counter-attacking The Da Vinci Code by sending out hundreds of DVDs to schools and parishes lambasting what it calls the "nonsense" of the book and film. One of the church's leading intellectuals, Professor Emeritus Patrick Reilly, appears in Debunking the Da Vinci Myths, saying its inaccuracies are equivalent to claiming John Knox was a child abuser. [More]

Dan Brown's 'Da Vinci Code' follow-up delayed

LONDON (Reuters) - Dan Brown's follow-up novel to his global bestseller "The Da Vinci Code" won't be ready by the end of the year as originally expected, his publisher said on Friday. "We don't know when it's coming, but it's out of the schedule for this year," said Larry Finlay, managing director for Transworld Publishers in London, a division of Bertelsmann-owned Random House. "At one point we were hoping for it around October or November, but now it's looking like 2007," he told Reuters, confirming a report in the Bookseller trade publication. [More]

Religious Scholars to Debate 'Da Vinci Code' Issues

Durham, N.C. -- Questions raised by the bestselling book “The Da Vinci Code,” including the reliability of Jesus Christ’s portrayal in the Bible and other ancient writings, will be the subject of a 7 p.m. April 25 debate in Duke Divinity School. The event is free and open to the public. Bart D. Ehrman, James A. Gray Distinguished Professor and chairman of the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Richard B. Hays, George Washington Ivey Professor of New Testament at DukeDivinitySchool, will be the featured speakers. The discussion will be in Room 0016 of the DivinitySchool on Duke’s West Campus. A question-and-answer session will follow. [More]

'Da Vinci' and 'X-Men' bring star-power to Cannes film festival

PARIS (AFP) - Stars from the "The Da Vinci Code" and "X-Men 3" are to spearhead the celebrity invasion at this year's Cannes film festival, according to details of the event released Thursday by organisers. Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry and Ian McKellen are among the A-listers expected to walk the red carpet in the French Riviera resort during the May 17-28 festival. Other top names include Bruce Willis, Cate Blanchett, Kirsten Dunst, The Rock, Willem Dafoe, Bob Hoskins, and Cannes jury members Samuel L. Jackson, Helena Bonham-Carter, Zhang Ziyi and Monica Bellucci. [More]

Da Vinci code provokes debate in traditional Philippines

Dan Brown's bestselling Da Vinci Code and the gnostic Gospel of Judas have triggered debates in a predominantly Roman Catholic country where some faithful are controversially nailed to crosses on Good Friday – writes Maurice Malanes from Manila, Philippines, for Ecumenical News International. [More]

US appeals court backs Brown's 'Da Vinci Code'

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York has upheld a ruling that Dan Brown did not copy elements of another writer's work in his bestseller, "The Da Vinci Code," his publisher said on Thursday. It was another legal victory for Brown after a high-profile case in London this month where a British court rejected charges he plagiarized another book, "The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail," by Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh. In the New York case, author Lewis Perdue had claimed Brown's 2003 book "The Da Vinci Code," which has more than 40 million copies in print worldwide, infringed the copyright of his novels "Daughter of God," which was published in 2000, and "The Da Vinci Legacy," which came out in 1983. [More]

Da Vinci Code Cocktail Contest winners revealed

The competition was heated (but not the drinks) in the race to solve the arcane mysteries of The Da Vinci Code through the modern secret elixir known as the Cocktail. Some mixologists came up with elaborate drinks and even more elaborate explanations, while others used variations on familiar cocktails but found a great Da Vincian or even Dan Brownian tie-in. [more]

'Da Vinci Code' Game Images

Gamespot.com has posted a few more images from the latest version of 'The Da Vinci Code' video game based on the movie. Take a look! [More]

The Da Vinci Code Impressions - Unraveling the Mystery

2K Games recently brought the latest build of The Da Vinci Code by the GameSpot offices so we could get a look at the progress of this puzzle-oriented game based on what must be the most popular novel of all time. It might surprise you that the game version of Da Vinci, in development by Getting Up house The Collective, isn't licensed straight from the upcoming sure-to-be-summer-blockbuster starring Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou. Rather, The Collective has gone straight to the source to work with author Dan Brown in creating the familiar locations and events from the book--along with a handful of new ones to keep things fresh. [More]

TV Watch: The Da Vinci Code: Fact or Fiction?

Mountain View, CA (PRWEB) April 18, 2006 -- Church Communication Network (CCN) - www.ccn.tv - and award-winning reporter and author Lee Strobel present an in-depth review and discussion entitled ‘Unlocking The Da Vinci Code’ in churches across North America on Sunday, May 21 live via satellite. Joining Lee will be Mark Mittelberg and Dr. Erwin Lutzer. [More]

Experts to fact check 'The Da Vinci Code'

Author and television pastor Dr. D. James Kennedy announced yesterday he will host a one-hour TV documentary next month meant to "fact check" the popular book "The Da Vinci Code" just before release of the movie version of the story. According to a statement from Kennedy's Coral Ridge Ministries, the show, entitled "The Da Vinci Delusion," "enlists a band of scholars, theologians, and authors to fact check" the book's assertions "against evidence from history and the Bible." [More]

Four New Da Vinci Code Clips

Sony Pictures has revealed four new clips from The Da Vinci Code, opening in theaters on May 19. Directed by Ron Howard, the anticipated adaptation of Dan Brown's novel stars Tom Hanks, Jean Reno, Audrey Tautou, Ian McKellen, Alfred Molina and Paul Bettany.

To watch the clips in Flash format, enter the official website and click 'Previews'. [More]

What's In A Hairstyle?

'The Da Vinci Code' movie has been thrown into chaos after test audiences admitted they hated Tom Hanks' hairstyle. The normally short-haired actor grew his locks for the role of Robert Langdon in the adaptation of Dan Brown's best-selling novel, but viewers admitted to researchers they found his lank locks a major turn-off. A studio insider told Britain's The Sun newspaper: "Much of the talk is about the hair. But it's too late to fix it." Hanks admitted to Japanese Prime Minister Junichro Koizumi earlier this month he had modelled his 'bowl cut' hairstyle on the world leader. On meeting Koizumi, the star said: "I wanted a haircut that looked like you." [More]

More Da Vinci Code Images, Production Stills and Candids

I have added quite a few new images from 'The Da Vinci Code' movie, as well as some set shots and some images of Tom Hanks and Jean Reno at an awards show. Take a look! [More]

Two books follow `Da Vinci Code' trail and cities

First it was a best-selling novel. Then came a movie deal (starring Tom Hanks, with a May 19 release date). Now The Da Vinci Code is a guidebook. (The release just happened to coincide with the final days of the London trial of author Dan Brown and his publisher Random House on copyright infringement. They were exonerated.)

The 256-page Fodor's Guide to The DaVinci Code ($14.95) takes the traveler from Paris to Rome to London, and points beyond. It also includes a 12-day itinerary, following the trail in Brown's thriller. Included are hotel, restaurant and shopping suggestions -- all with a Code connection.

Also out now is The Da Vinci Code Travel Journal (Clarkson Potter, $12.95). The journal features passages from the blockbuster book, photos, paintings and maps and an itinerary based on the locations traveled by the book's characters, Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu.

Order "The Da Vinci Code Travel Journal" on Amazon.com today!

'Da Vinci Code' sparks crusade

Julie Scheving, a 46-year-old resident of Holland, Mich., doesn't believe the decision to open "The Da Vinci Code" on May 19 happened by chance -- she believes it was an act of God. The movie, starring Tom Hanks, opens on her birthday, and Scheving, a born-again Christian, is planning on using the occasion to buy tickets for at least a dozen of her "unchurched" friends. Although the movie's claims about Christianity run contrary to Scheving's beliefs, she's looking forward to initiating a discussion about the true nature of Jesus Christ. "Any spiritual conversation is better than no spiritual conversation," she says. [More]

Google's Da Vinci Code puzzle quest launching soon

We've already seen the Da Vinci Code spun into a video game and a mobile game; starting tomorrow, it will also become an online puzzle trail, an Alternate Reality Game-style code quest run by Google and accessible from your Google homepage. [More]

Opus Dei asks for disclaimer on ‘Da Vinci Code’

ROME - The conservative religious group Opus Dei has asked for a disclaimer on the upcoming film based on the best-selling novel "The Da Vinci Code." Opus Dei, portrayed as a murderous, power-hungry sect in the novel by Dan Brown, wrote in an April 6 letter to Sony Corp. that a disclaimer would show respect to Jesus and to the Catholic Church. [More]

Archbishop dismisses Da Vinci Code

The Archbishop of Canterbury has hit out at the blockbuster book The Da Vinci code in his Easter Sunday sermon claiming its conspiracy theories undermine the truth and messages from the gospel. Dr Rowan Williams also attacked texts like the newly discovered Gospel of Judas saying it does not match up to the real challenges posed by the truth of the Resurrection. "One of the ways in which we now celebrate the great Christian festivals in our society is by a little flurry of newspaper articles and television programmes raking over the coals of controversies about the historical basis of faith." [More]

Lunch with Gandalf

Adele writes: In the May issue of Empire Magazine there is an interview with Ian McKellen. You can also find it online on EmpireOnline.com: 'The only grande Dame with a knighthood, Ian McKellen talks Twankey, Magneto and an extraordinary career...' Scroll down page and click on 'Sneak Peek.' [More]

Russian art expert in new Da Vinci Code plagiarism claim

SAINT PETERSBURG (AFP) - A new plagiarism claim was levelled against "The Da Vinci Code" author Dan Brown -- this time by a Russian art expert -- just three days after Brown successfully fought off a high-profile court challenge in London. Mikhail Anikin, an art historian at the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg and a specialist on the Italian painter Leonard Da Vinci, told AFP he would take legal action if he does not get an apology and compensation for "everything Dan Brown has got from this plagiarism." "Otherwise, I intend to take legal action in the next few days," he said. [More]

Opus Dei tries to break Code's Spell

Many readers of Dan Brown's best-seller The Da Vinci Code first learned about the Catholic organization Opus Dei by way of a murderous albino monk with a bloody dedication to self-mutilation. With Ron Howard's movie version set to hit American multiplexes May 19, the tiny international organization of devout Catholics has gone into public-relations high gear with what has become its mantra of the moment: There are no monks in Opus Dei, not even albino monks. [More]

'Da Vinci Code' author exonerated

LONDON — A British judge on Friday cleared The Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown of accusations that he copied parts of his best-selling novel from another book. The decision closed the chapter on a case that gripped the literary world.
High Court Justice Peter Smith rejected the claim that Brown breached the copyright of Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh, co-authors of the 1982 non-fiction book, The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail. Both books deal with a theory that Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene married and had a child, creating a "Holy Bloodline" that survives today. "Today's verdict shows that this claim was utterly without merit, I'm still astonished that these two authors chose to file their suit at all," Brown said in a statement. He added that he was "eager to get back to writing." [More]

Albinism on "Inside Edition"

Dr. Reese writes: On March 20th, 2006 the television program "Inside Edition" ran a piece about Silas, the evil character with albinism in the film version of "The Da Vinci Code." The following is a transcript of the segment. Skinema.com is not affiliated with "Inside Edition." Though the transcript is presented verbatim, we prefer the phrase "people with albinism" rather than "albino." [More]

"Da Vinci Code" fuss is baffling

David Harsanyi writes: When a representative of Douglas County Libraries asked me to participate in a debate on Dan Brown's best seller "The Da Vinci Code," I jumped at the chance. Although, clearly, there were two minor problems I had to tackle first. One, I had never read "The Da Vinci Code." Two, I didn't want to read "The Da Vinci Code." Ever. Really. Never ever. It's certainly not elitism, as I take as much pleasure in junk culture - "South Park," "Family Guy," any reality show with overweight former celebrities - as the next guy. But frankly, I felt out of touch. "The Da Vinci Code" has sold upwards of 40 million copies in hardcover and more than 500,000 copies in its first week of paperback release. A movie version featuring Tom Hanks is on the way. [More]

Judge to rule on 'Da Vinci Code'

LONDON (AP) — Like a good thriller, The Da Vinci Code trial has had drama, controversy and conflict. And it's ending with a cliffhanger — which way will a judge rule in the copyright infringement case against the publisher of Dan Brown's world-conquering novel? High Court justice Peter Smith rules Friday in the claim by authors Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh against Da Vinci Code publisher Random House. Smith must decide whether Brown's blockbuster "appropriated the architecture" of Baigent and Leigh's 1982 non-fiction book, The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail. In the United States, the book is titled, Holy Blood, Holy Grail. Both books explore theories that Jesus married Mary Magdalene, the couple had a child and the bloodline survives. Most historians and theologians scoff at such ideas, but Brown's fast-paced mix of murder, mysticism, code-breaking and art history has won millions of fans. [More]

`Da Vinci Code' Paperback Sales Soar

NEW YORK - "The Da Vinci Code" is a smash in paperback, too. More than 500,000 copies of Dan Brown's historical thriller sold in its first week of paperback release, and an initial printing of 5 million has been upped to 6 million, publisher Anchor Books told The Associated Press on Wednesday. Russell Perreault, vice president and director of publicity for Anchor and Vintage Books, paperback imprints of Random House, Inc., said the weekly sales were the highest in memory for a paperback. Anchor/Vintage has issued
Bill Clinton's "My Life" and numerous Oprah Winfrey picks, including James Frey's "A Million Little Pieces" and Rohinton Mistry's "A Fine Balance." [More]

New Da Vinci Code Poster!

From ComingSoon.net: Sony Pictures has provided ComingSoon.net with new posters for this summer's anticipated The Da Vinci Code. The Da Vinci Code, director Ron Howard's adaptation of the popular Dan Brown novel, hits theaters on May 19 and you can view the second teaser one-sheet here! The thriller stars Tom Hanks, Jean Reno, Audrey Tautou, Ian McKellen, Alfred Molina and Paul Bettany. [Full Image]

"Da Vinci" fever hits TV sales market

CANNES (Hollywood Reporter) - Call it the "Da Vinci Craze." The mind-boggling success of Dan Brown's religious thriller "The Da Vinci Code" and the feverish anticipation of
Ron Howard's feature adaptation starring Tom Hanks has set off a mad scramble at the MIPTV market here for programming with a "Da Vinci" hook. Britain's Channel 4, which scored at home and internationally with its debunking documentary "The Real Da Vinci Code," is selling "The Da Vinci Detective," a documentary about art scholar Maurizio Seracini, who is depicted in Brown's best-seller. Channel 4 is even pre-empting Brown, rushing out a poster at MIPTV for its in-development documentary, "The Real Solomon Key," named for Brown's upcoming conspiracy thriller "The Solomon Key," which features legendary secret societies the Freemasons and the Knights Templar. [More]

Does 'Da Vinci Code' offer key to fitness?

It sounds like an odd match -- combining exercise and mathematics. But Joseph Mullen insists this dubious coupling produces a blessed result: maximum fitness in minimum time. That claim is at the heart of his recent book, "The Da Vinci Fitness Code." Mullen, 68, a former fitness-center owner and a fitness author, proposes applying an esoteric mathematical sequence to a program of exercise workouts, holistic wellness and positive affirmations. [More]

'Da Vinci' And Opus Dei

"Opus Dei does not have any monks, albino or otherwise," Brian Finnerty said with a smile. Mr. Finnerty, the U.S. media relations director for the group, was debunking one of the many distortions in "The Da Vinci Code." The best-selling novel, which has a murderous monk named Silas as a main character, has been made into a feature film starring Tom Hanks and is expected to open some time next month ... maybe. Author Dan Brown is currently battling a plagiarism lawsuit in London brought by New Zealand author Michael Baigent and his American writing partner, Richard Leigh, who claim Mr. Brown stole their research from their 1982 nonfiction book, "Holy Blood, Holy Grail." [More]

The Real Da Vinci Code

MILAN, Italy -- The Codex Trivulzianus, one of Leonardo Da Vinci's oldest notebooks, is out from under lock and key, offering the world a rare look into the mind of a genius. Normally hidden away in a library at Sforzesco Castle and reserved for scholars' eyes, the 55-page collection of sketches and writings is on public display for the first time in nearly a decade. It includes character studies, drawings of church domes and military machines, and even a self-improvement guide. For all the larger-than-life ideas it contains, the Codex Trivulzianus is actually quite small. It measures 8 inches by 5.5 inches -- about the size of an average paperback -- and looks every bit its 519 years old. [More]

Space Foundation honoring Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks will be honored by the Space Foundation in Colorado Springs today. The actor, director and producer was chosen to receive this year's Douglas S. Morrow Public Outreach Award, which is given to a person or organization making an outstanding contribution to increasing public support for the exploration of space. He will be honored April 3 in Colorado Springs at the opening of the 22nd National Space Symposium. [More]

RP Catholic groups brace for 'Da Vinci' film attacks

PHILIPPINE Catholic groups are gearing up for the expected assault on the Christian faith with the worldwide release next month of the Hollywood blockbuster based on Dan Brown's hugely popular "The Da Vinci Code" novel. The Theological Centrum, a center disseminating key Church teachings on specific issues, will devote the May issue of its "Documentation Service" to attacks expected to be raised by the movie starring Oscar winner Tom Hanks. The monthly publication is circulated in dioceses, schools and Catholic organizations. The Theological Centrum involves some priests attached to the controversial Catholic group Opus Dei ("Work of God" in Latin). [More]

RP Catholic groups brace for 'Da Vinci' film attacks

PHILIPPINE Catholic groups are gearing up for the expected assault on the Christian faith with the worldwide release next month of the Hollywood blockbuster based on Dan Brown's hugely popular "The Da Vinci Code" novel. The Theological Centrum, a center disseminating key Church teachings on specific issues, will devote the May issue of its "Documentation Service" to attacks expected to be raised by the movie starring Oscar winner Tom Hanks. The monthly publication is circulated in dioceses, schools and Catholic organizations. The Theological Centrum involves some priests attached to the controversial Catholic group Opus Dei ("Work of God" in Latin). [More]

‘Da Vinci Code’ Cryptex Revealed

Roger Friedman writes: The one piece of movie merchandise everyone will want soon cannot be bought. It’s the Cryptex decoding puzzle from "The Da Vinci Code." All over the Internet, enterprising inventors are selling their versions of it. But yesterday, I got to see the real thing. A picture was even taken of me skeptically inspecting the Cryptex. In next month’s Premiere magazine, you will see a more complete background of how the one and only Cryptex was made. The real one is nothing at all like the ones I’ve seen for sale online. It’s a heavy, antique-like brass cylinder, for one thing. If you can figure out the trick of unlocking it, the Cryptex pops open and reveals a glass-capped tube. In this one, the liquid inside the tube was vinegar. As someone explained, there was no vodka at the time. [More]

60,057 Catholics Reject Da Vinci Code

Hanover, PA (PRWEB) April 1, 2006 –- The American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property TFP and its America Needs Fatima campaign have collected 60,057 signatures against the upcoming The Da Vinci Code movie. The organization is confident it will gather at least 100,000 protest letters and e-mails before May 19, when the film is scheduled to hit theaters across the country. “As faithful sons and daughters of the Church, it’s our duty to defend the honor of Our Lord whenever He is blasphemed,” said America Needs Fatima director Robert Ritchie. “And since The Da Vinci Code is a public blasphemy, our reparation and protest should be public.” [More]

Cracking start for Da Vinci Code film

Eights weeks before the film version of the The Da Vinci Code is released in Australia, fans are already buying tickets. The film, based on the blockbuster novel by Dan Brown, is expected to be a huge hit, prompting distributors to release tickets through major cinema chains, including Greater Union, last week. Sony Pictures in Australia said the early release was a recognition of fans' wishes, not a marketing ploy. "In more than 20 years working in the film business, I've never seen anything quite like it," Sony Pictures managing director Ross Entwistle said in a statement. [More]