Vatican Bans 'Angels and Demons' Filming

Rome church officials have banned the filming of the Da Vinci Code prequel. (Columbia Pictures Images)"]

The first installment of The Da Vinci Code was kind of a critical bomb but made over $750 million worldwide, thus director Ron Howard and actor Tom Hanks are currently in Rome filming the prequel, Angels & Demons.

Throwing a wrench in the works however is the Catholic church, who have banned filming in two of their churches. Both The Da Vinci Code novel and film outraged the Vatican.

The movie's filming requests were turned down because the movie "does not conform to our views." said Monsignor Marco Fibbi, a spokesman for the diocese.

Sony has reportedly shelled out "the biggest salary ever paid to an actor in the history of Hollywood" in order to secure Hanks in the main role of Professor Robert Langdon. Angels & Demons takes place one year prior to The Da Vinci Code and this time around, Professor Langdon will try to save the Vatican from a bomb. The flick is scheduled to hit theaters on May 15th 2009.