The team behind the global phenomenon The Da Vinci Code returns for the highly anticipated Angels & Demons, based upon the bestselling novel by Dan Brown. Tom Hanks reprises his role as Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, who once again finds that forces with ancient roots are willing to stop at nothing, even murder, to advance their goals. Ron Howard returns to direct the film, which is produced by Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, and John Calley. The screenplay is by David Koepp and Akiva Goldsman.
What terrifying discovery would make the Vatican turn to Robert Langdon, the man who cracked history's most controversial code?  When Langdon finds evidence of the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati - the most powerful underground organization in history - he also faces a deadly threat to the existence of the Illuminati's most despised enemy: the Catholic Church.  Upon learning that the clock is ticking on an unstoppable Illuminati time bomb, Langdon is recruited to travel to Rome, where he joins forces with Vittoria Vetra, a beautiful and enigmatic Italian scientist. Embarking on a nonstop, action-packed hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals, and even to the heart of the most secretive vault on earth, Langdon and Vetra will follow the 400-year-old Path of Illumination that marks the Vatican's only hope for survival.

AN ANGELS & DEMONS WHO'S WHO
Angels & Demons begins with the death of a Pope and the ancient ritual of Conclave, the process by which the College of Cardinals elects a new Holy Father.  Among the Cardinals are the preferiti, the Cardinals deemed most likely to be elected Pope.  The process is famous for being shrouded in secrecy, with the Cardinals secluded until their important work is completed. The only communication with the outside world comes in the form of smoke released from the Sistine Chapel. Dark smoke indicates that a two-thirds majority vote has not occurred, and white smoke (and, recently, bells) indicate that a two-thirds majority has been reached and a new Pope has been elected.
The Camerlengo has very specific duties within the Vatican.  It is he who certifies the death of the Pope and destroys the Pope's ring with his official seal, also known as the Ring of the Fisherman.  Until the election of a new Pope, the Camerlengo becomes the acting head of state of Vatican City.
The Swiss Guard has protected the Pope and the College of Cardinals within the Vatican's walls since January 22, 1506.  They are famous for seeing their positions not as a job but as a calling.  To be recruited into the Swiss Guard, one must be a single Catholic male, between the age of 19 and 30, at least 5-feet-8-inches tall, a high-school graduate and a graduate of basic training in the Swiss military, and a citizen of Switzerland.
The general police duties of Vatican City are performed by the Gendarmarie.  They handle public order, traffic control… and kidnapping and murder investigations, among other duties.
In Angels & Demons, these groups and Vatican officials are all forced into action when the Illuminati kidnap the preferiti and threaten to kill one each hour, culminating in a bomb at the Vatican.  The "official" story behind the real-life Illuminati is that the secret society was founded in Bavaria in 1776, with as many as 2,000 "freethinkers" reaching into the highest levels of art, science and government becoming members before the group officially disbanded at the end of the 1700s. 
However, some believe that the secret society's roots are even older - that the Illuminati have existed since the 1500s, born out of concern over the Church's conflicts with prominent scientists at that time.  In the story of Angels & Demons, these Illuminati or "Enlightened Ones" were driven underground and disappeared more than 100 years ago, during which time the group became fervently anti-Vatican, choosing instead to "worship" the four elements of nature - earth, air, fire, and water.  That is what sets the stage for the exciting story that unfolds in the film.
There are some in real life who say that the Illuminati still exist - and many articles, videos and other stories about them abound on the Internet today.  Among the theories posted on the web are stories that suggest the Illuminati control world events, hold high and powerful offices, and are creating a New World Order to replace individual governments with an autonomous world government by the "enlightened." 

ABOUT THE FILM
After becoming immersed in an adventure that pitted him against the Catholic Church and two thousand years of sacred religious history, Robert Langdon is back in Angels & Demons - and this time finds himself in the heart of the Vatican, attempting to save the Church from one of its oldest enemies: the Illuminati.
"Langdon enters into Angels & Demons with an icy relationship vis-à-vis the Vatican because of the events of The Da Vinci Code," says Tom Hanks, who reprises his role as the formidable Professor Langdon.  "He has a great knowledge of the church's rituals and history but he is not necessarily a welcome person.  Essentially, there is a grab for power at the Vatican in the guise of the hijacking of the papal election and, in spite of his history with the church, Langdon is called in to try to prevent it."
"The Vatican is under attack at its most vulnerable moment," say director Ron Howard, who returns to the world of Dan Brown after directing the worldwide phenomenon The Da Vinci Code, which in 2006 took in more than $750 million worldwide.  "The Vatican is going through conclave, the time when Cardinals elect a new Pope.  When they are under the threat of murder and a ticking time bomb, they call upon Robert Langdon, the only one who has the expertise and ability to cut through the mystery, understand the symbols, and try to avert this disaster.  He is not the man the Vatican trusts - he is the man the Vatican needs."
In Angels & Demons, Langdon attempts to thwart the Illuminati - a centuries-old underground organization - and their plans to wreak havoc on the Vatican.  For Howard, that idea made for a perfect villain and a worthy antagonist for Robert Langdon.   "When I read Angels & Demons, I was really engrossed by the idea of the Illuminati," says Howard.  "This secret society, said to include people like Galileo and Bernini.  What happened to them?  Were they really crushed?  Did they really leave us? There are those who believe that the Illuminati have survived as an organization and are with us in secret today, influencing our everyday lives, government policy decisions, and corporate strategies."
"In our story, the Illuminati return for an act of revenge reaching back four hundred years," says producer Brian Grazer.  "The Illuminati have kidnapped four Cardinals - the favorites to become the new Pope - and threaten to destroy the Vatican and Vatican City.  Vatican authorities call upon Robert Langdon - an old foe, in their minds - to help them in this moment of crisis.  Only Langdon can decipher the mysterious Illuminati codes, tied to the ancient symbols of earth, air, fire, and water."
"What's so great about a Robert Langdon adventure is that it stimulates so much curiosity and research," Howard continues.  "You read the book or see the movie, then you go to the library or on the internet - you want to understand Bernini, Galileo, their relationships with the Vatican, with the art world, with science, and the mystery of the Illuminati.  Whether you believe it or not, it's fascinating stuff, and in Dan Brown's fertile imagination, it leads to a spellbinding set of clues and a great mystery."
Producer John Calley adds, "I was fortunate to have discovered Dan's books just before the rest of America got their hands on The Da Vinci Code and it became a phenomenon.  I think what he's created in The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons is a franchise for our times. Both books are fast-paced thrillers with a dynamic, ingenious hero at the center.  It's no wonder that Dan has achieved such astounding success and we look forward to his next Robert Langdon thriller with great anticipation."
For Howard, those are the very reasons that made returning to direct Angels & Demons such an easy choice.  "There's something unique about what Dan has created in this Robert Langdon character," he says.  "It's incredibly original, thought-provoking, and, on a cinematic level, irresistible."
Angels & Demons marks the first time Howard has ever returned to a character a second time around.  "I never wanted to do that, because I'm always interested in trying to create new territory," says Howard.  "And Angels & Demons does that - even though Robert Langdon is again at the center, the film is so different from The Da Vinci Code and allows me to exercise a whole new set of cinematic muscles.  Angels & Demons requires a different rhythm, another tempo, a different kind of drive.  It is, literally, a ticking-time-bomb thriller, couched in a completely original mystery.  Those two demands lead me as a director to stage this movie is a completely different way from The Da Vinci Code."
Of course, Howard had another reason for wanting to return to Angels & Demons - the chance to team with Tom Hanks for the fourth time.  "I love working with Tom, and really like what he's doing with Robert Langdon," says Howard.  "The fit between the actor and the role gets deeper and stronger as it goes.  Tom's intellect, curiosity, and sense of humor blend so beautifully with Robert Langdon's that he creates a deeper, richer, more interesting character to watch."
Hanks says that Langdon's impressive and arcane intellect are satisfying and stimulating to play and a big part of the project's appeal.  "It's challenging to play someone who is an expert in this very obscure field.  He makes connections that nobody else can see; one symbol can represent different points of view that make sense to only him.   When we worked in Rome near places of great antiquity, I was fascinated to learn how the history of the site, what the original thought was in the building, what was going on in Rome at the time?  Who paid for it? When and why have things been added to it? Robert Langdon sees history in layers.  He takes in data, collects conflicting opinions, then matches them with differing interpretations, trying to understand why humans came up with these symbols in the first place."
Hanks elaborates, saying that Robert Langdon taps into the primal fantasy of solving great mysteries.  "If you're smart enough to see the trail, smart enough to follow it, and wise enough to put together all the hidden clues, you just might bust open the conspiracy.  And you only have so much time.  Who doesn't love that?"
Hanks was also gratified to re-team with director Ron Howard.  Angels & Demons marks their fourth collaboration, the most recent being The Da Vinci Code.  "Nothing fazes Ron," says Hanks.  "Certainly not shooting in front of the Pantheon in Rome with hundreds of tourists.  He found small back alleys for scenes in the afternoons when it was hot and the crowds were intense but was so focused that he hardly knew they were there. Whenever he faces a challenging shot, he just figures out a way to do it and exudes confidence.  Ron has created an impressive body of work and continues to make increasingly complicated, dense films - and he makes it all look easy.  He's more fearless now as a filmmaker, taking greater risks than he did when there was much less at stake. His will, his desire to open the way he makes movies makes demands of us all."
Surrounding Hanks are some of the world's best actors and brightest stars.  According to Brian Grazer, attracting an international cast was one of the filmmakers' highest priorities.  "The international cast enhances the scope of the film," says Grazer.  "It becomes accessible in every country of the world.  In addition, with the rich material and the chance to work with Tom, it's an appealing film for an actor.  We approached the best actors that made sense artistically for the film, and in each case, got our first choice."
"The cast brought kinetic energy," says Hanks.  "It's the sincerity Ewan McGregor brings to the Camerlengo, Stellan Skarsgård as the scary bull at the head of the Swiss Guard, and Armin Mueller-Stahl embodying the morals of  the benevolent and knowing Cardinal. Ayelet Zurer wouldn't deliver a line of dialog until she knew the science behind it.  Everyone worked at the same high expectations, with the same dedication, which made it an intense film making experience."
Throughout this adventure, Langdon is joined in his quest by the CERN-based Italian scientist Vittoria Vetra, played by Ayelet Zurer.
CERN (Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire or European Council for Nuclear Research) is the world's largest particle physics laboratory. Situated in Switzerland, CERN initiated the operation of its Large Hadron Collider, the world's largest particle accelerator, during production.  The experiments resulting from the LHC are set to change our view of the Universe we live in; they will investigate the reason for nature's preference for matter over antimatter, and they will probe matter as it existed at the very beginning of time.  In Angels & Demons, Vetra's work at CERN surrounds a small canister of antimatter that is stolen, and becomes the ultimate weapon of mass destruction, threatening the Vatican and, indeed, the very foundations of the Catholic Church.
Zurer prepared for her role not only by reading up on the kinds of experiments conducted at particle accelerators like that at CERN (and watching YouTube videos on the Large Hadron Collider), but also by reading Bill Bryson's book A Short History of Nearly Everything at Tom Hanks' recommendation. In fact, many crew members were also hooked on the book, comparing notes on such chapters as "Einstein's Universe," "The Mighty Atom," and "Darwin's Singular Notion."
Of her character, Zurer says, "Vittoria interested me because she represents that generation of women who are highly educated and in professions that are still male-dominated.  At the same time, she has a life and she hasn't given up her sensitivity for her career. She is a deliberate thinker, not easily rattled."
"Everyone on Ron's team have known each other for many years and worked on many projects. They operate like bees in a hive," says Zurer.  "They have codes and a shorthand of communication - like their own language - that I didn't really understand until later. They were fast and funny and intense, but also laid-back.  It was overwhelming for me.  Ron would say, 'Relax, slow down, use your lower voice' - he kept me on that track.  He really wanted Vittoria to be very strong, very smart and straightforward and still emotional about things that happened to her.  I think she feels highly responsible for everything that happens."
Zurer had free range to decide how Vittoria Vetra's Italian accent would sound.  "I made a decision to make her sound international, rather than just American with Italian accent," she says.  "I was sometimes surprised at the way the Italian sort of sat down in my body. It was very comfortable.  I don't know why it seemed so natural - maybe because I'm Mediterranean - but it's just something I loved."
With no Pope, the power of the Vatican resides in his right-hand man, the Camerlengo, until a new Pope is elected.  In Angels & Demons, this key figure is played by Ewan McGregor. 
"The Camerlengo is a secretary, but when the Pope dies, he is the acting head of state of Vatican City and has quite a bit of power," notes McGregor.  "He's such a great character to play because there's so much going on with him."
"The Camerlengo very much loves the Church and the sense of permanence that it brings.  It brings with it the force of history," McGregor continues.  "And now he sees the thing he loves under attack, at its moment of greatest peril.  He sees himself as a man who will do whatever it takes to save the Church from the Illuminati and everything they represent."
The actor was enticed not only by the rich character, but by the chance to work with Ron Howard.
"I was a big fan of Ron Howard - I'd met him a couple of times socially in London when he was filming The Da Vinci Code," says McGregor.  "We'd run into each other at a restaurant that we both liked to go to for Sunday lunch.  It's awfully nice to work with a director who is not only good at the technicalities of filmmaking but also can help you in terms of the performance, the emotion of a scene.  I think the fact that he's been an actor himself is what makes him such a very, very good director."
The Camerlengo's foil within the church is the quiet, dignified Cardinal Strauss, played by veteran actor Armin Mueller-Stahl. Cardinal Strauss, an expert at navigating Vatican politics, knows and sees more than he lets on.  In fact, Cardinal Strauss' impassive, understated approach dovetails with Mueller-Stahl's attitude towards acting.
"Strauss is always observing and watching what he has to do, to figure out the next step.  He doesn't give away too much of what he thinks, who he suspects and to me that's also the secret of acting," says Mueller-Stahl.  "You have a face.  Underneath is the second face and this second face is always important to bring to life without showing it.  The idea is not to show everything, but on the other hand by not showing, you have to reveal it. It must be understandable for the audience but not obvious."
To research the role, Mueller-Stahl read about the current Pope, and, perhaps, even modeled some of his character upon the real-life pontiff.  "I read a bit about Joseph Ratzinger, before he became Pope, when he was a Cardinal," he notes. 
Mueller-Stahl also called upon memories.  "I had met John Paul II when he was a Cardinal, in Krakow," notes the actor.  "But that was long, long ago."
Working in tandem with Cardinal Strauss - and, indeed, protecting him and the College of Cardinals - is Commander Richter, Commandante Principale of the Swiss Guard, played by Stellan Skarsgård. The Swiss Guard have been defending the Vatican since January 22, 1506 and Richter, the venerable leader of this imposing and dignified force, personifies everything they represent - the utmost dedication, respect and fidelity to the Holy See.  As the investigation continues, however, he too may be a suspect.
"As head of the Vatican's security organization, with four kidnapped Cardinals and a bomb in the Vatican, Richter's in trouble, but he is a cool character," says Skarsgård.  "He is a very controlled person and we don't know at various points if we can trust him."
"Richter despises Langdon, of course," Skarsgård continues.  "He's a Vatican guy, very religious.  With the history between Langdon and the Vatican, Richter does not accept Langdon's help graciously.  They are both trying to solve the crime, but they are pitted against each other in a mutual feeling of skepticism and distrust."
Naturally, Richter works closely with the Camerlengo in the ongoing investigation.  In filming one particularly intense scene between the two characters, Ron Howard positioned cameras such that he could capture both actors' close-ups and over-the-shoulder shots at the same time.  While lighting and blocking the scene was tricky, the arrangement allowed Skarsgård and McGregor to engage each other in a much more organic way.
"Ron understands what makes actors tick," Skarsgård says.  "He knows when and how to take the pressure off of you, and also knows what he can ask of you, what he wants out of the scene, and how he wants to get there.  We never talked about the character - our conversations during rehearsals were to figure out the scenes and where we were heading with them."
The Vatican, in addition to being the heart of the Catholic Church, is also a state within the country of Italy.  While the Swiss Guard protects the Pope and the College of Cardinals, the Gendarmarie police everything else within the Vatican walls.  When four Cardinals are kidnapped in Angels & Demons, it makes for a jurisdictional nightmare that pits Skarsgård's Commander Richter against the Gendarmarie's Inspector Ernesto Olivetti, played by Italian actor Pierfrancesco Favino.  "Olivetti brings in Langdon after the branding of the priest-physicist at CERN," says Favino.  "He understands immediately that they're not able to deal with the situation and brings in Langdon, the only man who knows what the symbols mean.  This puts him on shaky ground with Richter - because of Langdon's history with the Vatican, Langdon is a man that Richter does not trust even slightly.  Olivetti knows that Richter is basically the one calling the shots because the Swiss Guard is responsible for protecting the Cardinals, and bringing in Langdon is Olivetti's only trump card in the investigation."
"I had a few clues to my character," says Favino.  "I knew that he'd have to be married, so Olivetti wears a wedding ring, even though it never comes up in the movie.  The rules for the Gendarmarie aren't as strict as the Swiss Guard, but Olivetti would be just as Catholic as they are.  It was helpful for me to think of him as a man with a family at home." 
One final character rounds out the cast: the shadowy Mr. Gray, brought menacingly to life by Danish actor Nikolaj Lie Kaas.  Kaas was immediately drawn to the part by action inherent in the role.  "He's the weapon in the hand," he says.  "He drives all the action in the film - everything that happens in the movie happens because of the plot he executes.  I love to do action - it's great to be a boy again."
When it came to the character's accent, Kaas says, he took a cue from the director.  "I'm always doing a Russian or Eastern European accent," he says, "but Ron suggested that I use my own Danish accent.  Also, one scene, when I speak to one of the dead Cardinals, I do it in Danish.  That idea came from Ron and one of the writers, and I thought it was fantastic."

Read more about filming ANGELS AND DEMONS, the design and the music

Read more about the filmmakers, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, John Calley, screenwriters David Koepp and Akiva Goldsman and Dan Brown.

Read more about Da Vinci Code
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