June 25, 2008

The Vatican has banned “Angels & Demons” from shooting in Rome churches, a Vatican official confirmed Monday, saying “The Da Vinci Code” prequel is incompatible with religious sentiment.

Sony thriller, directed by Ron Howard and starring Tom Hanks, started rolling in Rome on June 5. Last year the filmmakers requested permits from Rome authorities to shoot in the monumental church of Santa Maria del Popolo and the smaller Santa Maria della Vittoria, where key scenes in the Dan Brown bestseller are set.

Under Italy’s treaty with the Vatican, both the Italian government and the Vatican must OK the permits, and the Vatican balked.

“We often provide our churches to productions whose purposes are compatible with religious sentiment,” said Father Marco Fibbi, a spokesman for the Rome diocese. “But not when the film pursues a type of fantasy that damages common religious sentiment, as in the case of ‘The Da Vinci Code,’ ” he added.

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Source - variety.com

June 25, 2008

TOM HANKS and director RON HOWARD have been forbidden from filming in two Roman churches by religious leaders.

The pair is making the prequel to controversial film The Da Vinci Code in the Italian city and asked permission to shoot in two churches considered vital to the storyline in Dan Brown's book Angels and Demons.

But Rome's diocese has told producers they'll have to film elsewhere, due to the controversial nature of the plot.

A spokesman for the diocese says, "It's a film that treats religious issues in a way that contrasts with common religious sentiment.

"We would be helping them create a work that might well be beautiful but that does not conform to our views."

The film deals with suggestions that Jesus was a married father when he died. Dan Brown's books about the mysterious Opus Dei, a secret society which protects the bloodline of Jesus, and Howard and Hanks' 2006 The Da Vinci Code film have upset Catholic leaders throughout the world.

But despite the ban, director Howard will be allowed to film exteriors of the churches, Santa Maria del Popolo and Santa Maria della Vittoria.

Source - showbizspy.com

June 25, 2008

 
A girl's wedding day is arguably the most nerve-wracking of her life, and she certainly goes to sleep the night before hoping everything will run smoothly. Of all the things that could throw a spanner in the works, however, a Hollywood movie star blocking the way to the church with his latest production is not usually top of her list of worries.

That's exactly what happened to one Rome bride-to-be this week, however, when the path to the church was blocked by Tom Hanks and the crew of Angels And Demons, who were busy lensing scenes from the latest adaptation of the The Da Vinci Code author's work outside the Pantheon.

The cameras stopped rolling momentarily, though, allowing Tom to help the young lady and her father on their way. The movie heavyweight chivalrously offered the bride his arm and even helped keep her long veil from trailing on the ground.

His good deed done, Tom got back to work on set with Israeli actress Ayelet Zurer – last seen opposite Dennis Quaid in Vantage Point. In the new flick the raven-haired beauty's character Vittoria joins forces with Tom's brooding symbologist Robert Langdon on a mission to unlock the secret world of the deadly ancient brotherhood known as the Illuminati, before they can kill again.

Source - hellomagazine.com

June 9, 2008


Angels & Demons is now filming in Rome and Trovacinema.it was there to catch Tom Hanks in action as Robert Langdon, and Ron Howard directing the cast and crew.

Source - slashfilm.com

June 9, 2008

Israeli actress Ayelet Zurer has nabbed the female lead opposite Tom Hanks in Columbia Pictures' "Da Vinci Code" prequel "Angels & Demons."

Ewan McGregor is in talks to join the thriller, which is based on the Dan Brown best-seller.

McGregor is set to take on the role of a powerful Vatican insider who assists Langdon.

Story centers on religious art scholar Robert Langdon (Hanks), who once again finds himself entangled with powerful forces with ancient roots: the Illuminati -- the most powerful underground organization in history -- and the Catholic Church. Zurer will play Vittoria Vetra, an Italian scientist who joins forces with Langdon.

Ron Howard is directing from an Akiva Goldsman script.

Zurer is best known in her native Israel, where she has starred in "Nina's Tragedies" and the TV series "In Treatment," which was recently adapted in the U.S. by HBO. Her U.S. film credits include "Munich" and Columbia's "Vantage Point." She will next be seen in the Samuel Goldwyn release "Fugitive Pieces."

Source - Variety.com

June 8, 2008

Robert Langdon is back! This time, in the "prequel" to The Da Vinci Code, he is facing one of the most powerful underground organizations in history, the Illuminati. In the Angels & Demons movie, Langdon must stop the Illuminati from destroying its most hated enemy, the Catholic Church, which they plan to attack at the heart of their most treasured and revered place, Vatican City. Our hero races to Rome to uncover the 400 year old clues and symbols that will help him save the Vatican, all of which happen to be in the ancient Illuminati safe house. The heart stopping thriller will have you in tense mode as the never ending battle between science and religion comes to a climax.

First published in 2000, the novel Angels & Demons preceded The Da Vinci Code, but was proposed for film adaptation as a sequel. It became an international bestseller, surpassing The Da Vinci Code in its reviews.

It was in 2003 that Sony Pictures acquired the rights (with a deal to its author Dan Brown) to the Angels & Demons movie. With The Da Vinci Code being a huge success, grossing $218 million domestically and $758 million worldwide despite poor reviews, the decision to go ahead with the plans for Angels & Demons was easy. The movie was originally scheduled to release in 2008, but due to the writer's strike, it is one of the first major projects to be postponed until 2009.

The release is schadualed for May, 15th 2009.

Source - www.americanchronicle.com