KillerFilm » The Da Vinci Code

Columbia gets a Lost Symbol

Melissa Molina — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:27:21 +0000

Columbia Pictures is going full steam once more with The Da Vinci Code series as they plan to adapt The Lost Symbol into the third installment of the mystery franchise. The story finds protag Robert Langdon summoned to Washington, D.C., where he begins decoding the symbols of the Freemasons (Variety). No word yet on whether or not actor Tom Hanks will be reprising his role once more as Langdon for this installment. Writing the big screen adaptation is scribe Steven Knight who’s done written works for features like Dirty Pretty Things and Eastern Promises.

Producing the feature is Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer and John Calley. A director has not been attached to helm the picture at the moment. Several other pictures are under Columbia right now for distribution that include Eat, Pray, Love along with The Social Network and the Johnny Depp/Angelina Jolie co-starring feature The Tourist.

Will the Catholic Church boycott Angels and Demons and make it a hit?

Daniel Herrera — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 21:59:41 +0000

Ron Howards upcoming sequel and adaptation to his huge global hit The Da Vinci Code, is already stirring controversy as reports are trickling in from the Vatican newspaper that they may boycott Angels and Demons, as they simply stated that they “cannot approve” of the film. The last time this happened it resulted in the film being boycotted in the end, and most recently happened with The Golden Compass. While this may seem like a horrible thing for a film to be labeled as “banned” by the Catholic Church, in the end all the negative press for the film ends up bringing the film more into the spotlight than ever and causing the film to earn more money in the end than it normally would.

While the Catholic Church many times tries to stay outside of popular media, many times they have also tried to recoup a bit of the spotlight as was done back in 1995, when during the 100th anniversary of motion pictures, the Catholic Church decided to announce their list of the 45 ’great films’ which they conveniently broke up into three categories: Religion,Values and Art. Some of the films put on the list include: The Seventh Seal, Ben Hur, Nosferatu, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and Ghandi.

You can also access the full list of the 45 films HERE

Some of the films in the past that have been boycotted by the Catholic Church include: The DaVinci Code (for ‘slanderous’ offenses against Catholicism), The Golden Compass ( due to its ‘atheist agenda’ ) and The Last Temptation of Christ Christ (for being “historically false”). Now aside from the actual boycotts from the Vatican itself there are even those in The Catholic League who try to boycott everything under the sun from such films as Priest and Dogma to that of Rosie O’Donnell herself ( we can only assume the distaste for O’Donnel resulted from the film Last Exit to Eden.)

With the films mentioned do you think an actual boycotting of the film will do more good than harm? Check out the box office count for the boycotted films.

The Last Temptation of Christ-8.3 Million (only released in 123 theatres at its highest theatre count)

The Da Vinci Code- 758 Million

The Golden Compass- 372 Million. This film is rather interesting in that there was a huge onslaught of controversy and ‘boycotting’ of the film by the catholic league discussing how unsuccessful the film was HERE,yet of course with a budget of 180 million and a worldwide gross of 372 million, you have to wonder who is really to blame for the films success. The boycott or the actual popularity of the film.

Now I certainly am not against the practices the church and its subsidiaries attempt to do with the films. I just wonder if all the negative word on the films will in the end come back and make the film even more money in the end regardless on the films actual merits. As they say in the end, all press is in fact good press.

Don’t forget The Catholic League once tried to boycott Miller Beer, so a little perspective must be taken when film boycotts such as these have take place.

Must Watch: Full trailer for Angels and Demons

Daniel Herrera — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 18:26:42 +0000

Ron Howard returns this summer with his second attempt at filming a Dan Brown novel with Angels and Demons. This trailer actually looks pretty fantastic and seems as it will be everything The Da Vinci Code should have been. Either way with this newest trailer we are looking forward to this film more and more everyday.

Angels and Demons was written by Oscar winner Akiva Goldsman and directed once again by the Oscar winning director of A beautiful Mind, Ron Howard.

Angels and Demons premiers in theatres this May 15th.

Check out the latest trailer HERE

Source: MSN