Toms Hanks returns as Robert Langdon

What terrifying discovery would make the Vatican turn to Robert Langdon, the man who cracked history's most controversial code? When Langdon finds evidence of the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati - the most powerful underground organisation in history - he also faces a deadly threat to the existence of the Illuminati's most despised enemy: the Catholic Church. Upon learning that the clock is ticking on an unstoppable Illuminati time bomb, Langdon is recruited to travel to Rome, where he joins forces with Vittoria Vetra, 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.

The film stars Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor, Ayelet Zurer, Stellan Skarsgård, Pierfrancesco Favino, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, and Armin Mueller-Stahl.

“Langdon enters into 'Angels & Demons' with an icy relationship vis-à-vis the Vatican because of the events of 'The Da Vinci Code',” says Tom Hanks. “He has a great knowledge of the church's 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, Langdon is called in to try to prevent it.”

“The Vatican is under attack at its most vulnerable moment,” say director Ron Howard, who returns to the world of Dan Brown after directing the worldwide phenomenon 'The Da Vinci Code', which in 2006 took in more than US$750 million worldwide. “The Vatican is going through conclave, the time when Cardinals elect a new Pope. When they are under the threat of murder and a ticking time bomb, they call upon Robert Langdon, the only one who has the expertise and ability to cut through the mystery, understand the symbols, and try to avert this disaster. He is not the man the Vatican trusts - he is the man the Vatican needs.”

In "Angels & Demons", Langdon attempts to thwart the Illuminati - a centuries-old underground organisation - and their plans to wreak havoc on the Vatican. For Howard, that idea made for a perfect villain and a worthy antagonist for Robert Langdon. “When I read 'Angels & Demons', I was really engrossed by the idea of the Illuminati,” says Howard. “This 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 organisation 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 four hundred years,” says producer Brian Grazer. “The Illuminati have kidnapped four Cardinals - the favourites to become the new Pope - and threaten to destroy the Vatican and Vatican City. Vatican authorities 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 on 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.”

Producer John Calley adds, “I was fortunate to have discovered Dan's books just before the rest of America got their hands on 'The Da Vinci Code' and it became a phenomenon. I think what he's created in 'The Da Vinci Code' and 'Angels & Demons' is a franchise for our times. Both books are fast-paced thrillers with a dynamic, ingenious hero at the centre. It's no wonder that Dan has achieved such astounding success and we look forward to his next Robert Langdon thriller with great anticipation.”

Of course, Howard had another reason for wanting to return to "Angels & Demons" - the chance to team with Tom Hanks for the fourth time. “I love working with Tom, and really like what he's doing with Robert Langdon,” says Howard. “The fit between the actor and the role gets deeper and stronger as it goes. Tom's intellect, curiosity, and sense of humour blend so beautifully with Robert Langdon's that he creates a deeper, richer, more interesting character to watch.”

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 challenging to play someone who is an expert in this very obscure field. He makes connections that nobody else can see; one symbol can represent different points of view that make sense to only him. When we worked in Rome near places of great antiquity, I was fascinated to learn how the history of the site, what the original thought was in the building, what was going on in Rome at the time? Who paid for it? When and why have things been added to it? Robert Langdon sees history in layers. He takes in data, collects conflicting opinions, then matches them with differing interpretations, trying to understand why humans came up with these symbols in the first place.”

Hanks elaborates, saying that Robert Langdon taps into the primal fantasy of solving great mysteries. “If you're smart enough to see the trail, smart enough to follow it, and wise enough to put together all the hidden clues, you just might bust open the conspiracy. And you only have so much time. Who doesn't love that?”