Tom Hanks Calls "Da Vinci Code" Franchise "Hooey," Doesn't Believe It Was "Good Commerce"

BYErika Marie2.5K Views
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Tom Hanks
Hanks starred in the blockbuster, alt-history, religious trilogy many years ago, and he doesn't seem to be the biggest fan of the storyline.

Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code was a fiction novel that was all the rage back in the 2000s as it dramatically followed the murder mystery storyline that centered around the secrecy involving Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene having a child together. Tom Hanks starred as the main character Robert Langdon who ran around the Holy Land chasing symbolism in artifacts and religious locations. This was a part of a franchise of films that also included 2009's Angels and Demons as well as 2016's Inferno that both saw Hanks return to his coveted role. The films brought in nearly $2 billion at the box office.

The Hollywood icon has been featured in dozens of award-winning films and several have been hailed as some of the best the silver screen has ever had to offer, but in a recent interview with The New York Times, Hanks reflected on his trilogy, calling it "hooey."

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"Oh, God, that was a commercial enterprise. Yeah, those Robert Langdon sequels are hooey," said the entertainment legend. “The Da Vinci Code was hooey. I mean, Dan Brown, God bless him, says, 'Here is a sculpture in a place in Paris! No, it’s way over there. See how a cross is formed on a map? Well, it’s sort of a cross.' Those are delightful scavenger hunts that are about as accurate to history as the James Bond movies are to espionage."

"But they’re as cynical as a crossword puzzle. All we were doing is promising a diversion," Hanks added before taking a slight jab at franchises. "There’s nothing wrong with good commerce, provided it is good commerce. By the time we made the third one, we proved that it wasn’t such good commerce."

However, filming made for some unexpected moments that no one in the world will ever experience.

"Let me tell you something else about The Da Vinci Code. It was my 40th-something birthday. We were shooting in the Louvre at night. I changed my pants in front of the Mona Lisa! They brought me a birthday cake in the Grand Salon! Who gets to have that experience? Any cynicism there? Hell no!"

Check out the trailer for 2006's The Da Vinci Code below.

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About The Author
Erika Marie
Erika Marie is a seasoned journalist, editor, and ghostwriter who works predominantly in the fields of music, spirituality, mental health advocacy, and social activism. The Los Angeles editor, storyteller, and activist has been involved in the behind-the-scenes workings of the entertainment industry for nearly two decades. E.M. attempts to write stories that are compelling while remaining informative and respectful. She's an advocate of lyrical witticism & the power of the pen. Favorites: Motown, New Jack Swing, '90s R&B, Hip Hop, Indie Rock, & Punk; Funk, Soul, Harlem Renaissance Jazz greats, and artists who innovate, not simply replicate.
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