Was 'The Da Vinci Code' Stolen?
Not bloody likely...
For some reason I don't believe this is a new development since I think there has been controversy surrounding the Dan Brown novel "The Da Vinci Code" for a long time, but considering the novel is now becoming a motion picture and it has made a TON of money it is no surprise that the story is finding its way into the highest places.
Variety is reporting that "The Da Vinci Code" author Dan Brown was in London's High Court on Monday to fight allegations from historians Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh that he stole "the whole architecture" of their research for his bestseller.
The copyright infringement action against Brown and his British publisher Random House, seeks $150 million in damages and injunctive relief blocking further distribution of the best-selling book and the movie adaptation starring Tom Hanks and Ian McKellan, which is due out May 19. The story goes on to say that injunctions are rarely granted.
Before you read any further there are a few Da Vinci Code story details that will be ruined so proceed with caution.
Apparently in 1982, the disgruntled duo penned the nonfiction book "Holy Blood, Holy Grail," which examined the theory that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and had a child and that the Catholic church has been trying to suppress the bloodline ever since. The Da Vinci Code takes that story one step further and insists that Leonardo Da Vinci along with a clandestine group knew of the bloodline and hid clues in his works leading to the truth surrounding the matter. Within Brown's fictionalization of the theory he includes a character named Sir Leigh Teabing, a not-so-subtle anagram of Leigh and Baigent.
Brown does not deny that Baigent and Leigh's research had an influence on his story, but the best argument comes from Random House saying that this case threatens the ability of authors to write fiction.
I have a feeling this is going to go nowhere and we can fully expect The Da Vinci Code to open the Cannes film festival as expected followed by its planned release on May 19, but who knows, anything can happen. Last I heard O.J. Simpson was playing golf and not playing hide the snake.
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