Courtroom twist in the Da Vinci Code
(Filed: 27/02/2006)

The conspiracy-laden plot of the international blockbuster novel The Da Vinci Code is likely to result in further intrigue today, with two writers claiming in the High Court that the book steals their ideas.

Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh are suing their own publishers, Random House, claiming Dan Brown's story lifts from their 1982 book, The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, itself a best seller.

This non-fiction work deals with theories that Jesus and Mary Magdalene married and had a child, and that the blood line continues to this day - with the Catholic Church trying suppress the discovery. It is similar to the theme explored in Mr Brown's novel, which won best book at last year's British Book Awards and has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide.

If the writers are successful and opt to take injunctions stopping use of their material, it could threaten the British release of the film adaptation of the novel, starring Tom Hanks and Sir Ian McKellen, scheduled to open on May 19. The rest


DaVinci Countered by Catholic Outreach
Catholic groups form The DaVinci Outreach website to counter the message of the upcoming film.
posted 02/27/06

With the release of The Da Vinci Code less than two months away (May 19), many Christian organizations are beginning to speak out against the film. The movie, based on the best-selling novel by Dan Brown, is seen by many as an attack on Christianity—and specifically on Catholicism.

In response, various Catholic groups have come together to form The DaVinci Outreach, a collection of resources and commentaries that challenge what the group calls Brown's "web of bogus history." the rest