Angels and Demons
Directed by Ron Howard
Starring Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor, Stellan Skarsgard
Rated PG-13
Release date: May 15, 2009

Angels and Demons is a direct sequel to The Da Vinci Code and based on the book of the same name (though Dan Brown fans will tell you Angels is actually supposed to be the prequel of The Da Vinci Code).

Angels and Demons brings back symbologist (aka glorified scavenger hunter)Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) on another yet mystery involving Catholicism. On the eve of the latest’s Pope’s death, the four cardinals vying for the Papacy have been kidnapped by a member of a secret organization known as The Illuminati. The assailant promises to kill one cardinal for every hour until midnight when he sets off an anti-matter bomb somewhere in Vatican City. Now, it is a race against time as Langdon searches for the Cardinals and tries desperately to stop the bomb before it kills thousands.

Written by David Koepp (Spider-Man) and Akiva Goldsman, Angels is a fast-paced thrill ride from beginning to end. One part National Treasure, one part Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego?, the movie starts off with a murder and never gives you a chance to breathe. Even some of the more dialogue-filled scenes are quick. It is not so much that the lines are delivered quickly, but rather there is so much substance in it, viewers really need to listen to the dialogue, comprehend it, and try to figure out where Langdon will go next. Sure, moviegoers do not have to play along, but how can you resist? The whole movie is a mystery and everyone loves a good mystery.

Sony has released six new clips and one new featurette from their upcoming film, Angels & Demons, directed by Ron Howard and starring Tom Hanks.

In the new featurette, titled “Vatican City,” Ron Howard and Tom Hanks talk about the history of this religious city and how the adventure in the film is tied to it.

Watch all the new footage here below; note, the first video embedded has the six new clips, plus two older ones, so continue on through to watch them all. Also, I’ve include two previously released featurettes.

Angels & Demons sees Hanks back in the role of Professor Robert Langdon, who at this point, is already renown for his adventures in the Da Vinci Code, so he’s called upon by the Vatican to help them thwart a plan by their ancient enemy — The Illuminati — to destroy Vatican City and bring about the downfall of the Catholic Church.

There hasn’t been a ton of production news for the sequel to the mediocre movie based on the massively popular book, The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. But now comes the first teaser trailer to Angels & Demons.

The teaser is definitely a teaser, but it shows a good amount of stuff to get fans of the books and first movie excited — especially Tom Hanks and his seemingly slightly toned down hair!

Joining Hanks will be a new cast including Ewan McGregor and Stellan Skarsgård. The film is again directed by Ron Howard and will be released May 15, 2009.

Check out the teaser trailer and official synopsis here below.

USA Today has posted the first official images from director Ron Howard‘s Angels & Demons, the prequel to 2006’s The Da Vinci Code.

The film, based on the best-selling novel by Dan Brown, sees the return of Tom Hanks as Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, whose last adventures led him through Europe following an intricate trail of codes in order to solve a murder and expose a centuries’ old religious conspiracy.

This time around, Langdon assists in a murder investigation which turns into another code-cracking adventure through crypts, catacombs, and cathedrals where the Harvard professor must stop the Illuminati from destroying the Vatican City.

You’ll notice from the photos that while Hanks is back, his weird slicked-back lengthy hairstyle is gone, as is a few extra pounds. Hanks’ Da Vinci Code look was nothing like I imagined Langdon (always pictured Bill Pullman in the role), who is described in the book as having a swimmer’s build. It seems like the filmmakers finally took that into consideration…