Angels & Demons (film) with author Dan Brown. In May 2006, following the release of the 2006 film adaptation of "The Da Vinci Code", Sony Pictures hired screenwriter Akiva Goldsman, who wrote the film adaptation of "The Da Vinci Code", to adapt "Angels & Demons". Filming was originally to begin in February 2008 and was originally going to be released on December 19, 2008, but because of the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, the film was pushed back for May 15, 2009. David Koepp rewrote the script before shooting began. Director Ron Howard chose to treat "Angels & Demons" as a sequel to
Criticism of The Da Vinci Code on the level of generalized or otherwise unprotectable ideas." He affirmed that "The Da Vinci Code" does not infringe upon copyrights held by Perdue. In February 2006, Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh, two of the three authors of "Holy Blood, Holy Grail", took the UK publisher of "The Da Vinci Code" to court for breach of copyright, alleging plagiarism. Some sources suggested the lawsuit was a publicity stunt intended to boost sales of "The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail" (a boost which did in fact occur). However, the projected court costs of over 1 million pounds outweigh or at