A masterpiece in the making?

Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks has been confirmed as the star of the big screen adaptation of bestselling novel The Da Vinci Code after weeks of specul

16:56 01 December 2004

Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks has been confirmed as the star of the big screen adaptation of bestselling novel The Da Vinci Code after weeks of speculation.

Considered one of the leading actors of his generation, Hanks has been linked with the movie incarnation of author Dan Brown's expert on religious cryptology for the last month.

This rumour was fuelled by the confirmation of Ron 'Ritchie Cunningham' Howard as director for the ambitious project earlier this year. Hanks worked with Howard on the heartfelt aquatic film Splash! in the 1980s and Apollo 13 in 1995.

Hanks will play professor-come-adventurer Robert Langdon in the film, whose story weaves a labyrinthine web of deceit, intrigue and twists around a quest for the legendary Holy Grail.

With the lead actor now firmly on board, production is likely to begin next year, with distributor Sony Pictures confirming a pencilled-in release date of May 2006.