By Ryan Parsons | Image property of respective holders, Variety.
Angels & Demons
Columbia Pictures has turned up the heat for the adaptation of Angels & Demons. With the expiration of the WGA pact coming at the end of this month, the studio is scrambling to make deals and stick to a new start date.
Start Date for Angels & Demons
I still can't figure out why Columbia Pictures didn't adapt this book first. It's way more entertaining, way more movie ready and, more importantly, is the book that introduces Robert Langdon's "first adventure." With the film serving as a prequel, it is going to be hard to feel any risk for the title character, as we know he goes on to Da Vinci Code.
Columbia Pictures has established a February start date for Angels & Demons with Ron Howard onboard to direct. If all goes to plan, the film will be released to theaters December 2008.
Like Da Vinci, the producers include Brian Grazer and John Calley. Akiva Goldsman is currently working to finalize the shooting script before next week's deadline.
As expected, Tom Hanks will reprise his role as Tom Langdon.
Angels & Demons, like Da Vinci, has a story that threatens the stability of the Catholic Church. Where Da Vinci featured about 5 mysteries for Robert Langdon to solve, Angels has about 50. The book features a quicker pace and a ton more running around. The prequel should also feature a nice mixture of science, religion and art. Science plays a bigger part in this installment than it did the last.
Angels & Demons 
Add to Heffee!
