Terror comes to the Vatican

MANILA, Philippines – The team behind the global phenomenon “The Da Vinci Code” returns for the highly anticipated “Angels & Demons,” based on the bestselling novel by Dan Brown. Tom Hanks reprises his role as Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, who once again finds that forces with ancient roots are willing to stop at nothing, even murder, to advance their goals. Ron Howard returns to direct the film, produced by Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, and John Calley. The screenplay is by David Koepp and Akiva Goldsman.

What terrifying discovery would make the Vatican turn to Robert Langdon, the man who cracked history’s most controversial code? When Langdon discovers evidence of the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati – the most powerful underground organization in history – he also faces a deadly threat to the existence of the secret organization’s most despised enemy: the Catholic Church. Upon learning that the clock is ticking on an unstoppable Illuminati time bomb, Langdon travels to Rome, where he joins forces with Vittoria Vetra (Ayelet Zurer), a beautiful and enigmatic Italian scientist. Embarking on a nonstop, action-packed hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals, and even to the heart of the most secretive vault on earth, Langdon and Vetra will follow the 400-year-old Path of Illumination that marks the Vatican’s only hope for survival.

“Langdon enters into Angels & Demons with an icy relationship vis-à-vis the Vatican because of the events of The Da Vinci Code,” says Hanks, who reprises his role as the formidable professor. “He has a great knowledge, obviously, of the organization of the church and its rituals and history but he is not necessarily a welcome person. Essentially, there is a grab for power at the Vatican in the guise of the hijacking of the papal election and, in spite of his history with the church, the right man gets the job to prevent that.”

In Angels & Demons, Langdon attempts to thwart the Illuminati – a 400-year-old underground organization – and their plans to wreak havoc on the Vatican. For director Howard, that idea made for a perfect villain and a worthy antagonist for Langdon. “When I read Angels & Demons, I was really engrossed by the idea of the Illuminati,” says Howard. “This 400-year-old secret society, said to include people like Galileo and Bernini. What happened to them? Were they really crushed? Did they really leave us? There are those who believe that the Illuminati have survived as an organization and are with us in secret today, influencing our everyday lives, government policy decisions, and corporate strategies.”

“In our story, the Illuminati return for an act of revenge reaching back 400 years,” says producer Brian Grazer. “The Illuminati have kidnapped four Cardinals – the favorites to become the new pope – and threaten to destroy the Vatican and Vatican City. They call upon Robert Langdon – an old foe, in their minds – to help them in this moment of crisis. Only Langdon can decipher the mysterious Illuminati codes, tied to the ancient symbols of earth, air, fire, and water.”

“What’s so great about a Robert Langdon adventure is that it stimulates so much curiosity and research,” Howard continues. “You read the book or see the movie, then you go to the library or the Internet – you want to understand Bernini, Galileo, their relationships with the Vatican, with the art world, with science, and the mystery of the Illuminati. Whether you believe it or not, it’s fascinating stuff, and in Dan Brown’s fertile imagination, it leads to a spellbinding set of clues and a great mystery.”

Hanks says that Langdon’s impressive and arcane intellect are satisfying and stimulating to play and a big part of the project’s appeal. “It’s wonderful to play someone who is an expert in this very obscure field. He has made it his life’s work to make the connections that nobody else can see; one symbol can represent many different divergent points of view and he can make sense of it. It’s a fascinating blend of stuff. When we were in Rome, working in or nearby these places of great antiquity, I didn’t want to know just when it was built. I wanted to know how it got there, what the original thought was, what was going on in Rome at the time this particular church was built? Who paid for it? When and why have things been added to it? One of the reasons that I’m interested in Robert Langdon is that he sees history as layered; you have to take nine other facts and nine other opinions and nine other understandings of where, what, and when humankind came up with these symbols in the first place before you can infer truth.”

Hanks was also gratified by the opportunity to re-team with director Howard. Angels & Demons marks their fourth collaboration. “Nothing fazes Ron,” says Hanks. “Certainly not shooting in front of the Pantheon in Rome with hundreds of tourists. He found small back alleys for scenes in the afternoons when it was hot and the crowds were intense. And besides, he was so focused that he hardly knew they were there. Whenever he faces a challenging shot, he just figures out a way to do it and is confident that it will work out. Ron has amassed an incredible body of work as a filmmaker and as he progresses, he continues to make increasingly complicated, layered movies – and he makes it all look easy. He’s actually more fearless now as a filmmaker and takes much greater risks than he did when there was much less at stake. His will, his desire to completely bust open the way he makes movies keeps both of us pretty fresh.”

“Angels & Demons” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Visit www.sonypictures.com.ph to see the latest trailers, get free downloads and play free movie games.