Skip to main content.
Religion News Blog is a non-profit service providing academics, religion professionals and other researchers with religion & cult news
ReligionNewsBlog

Religion news articles about religious cults, sects, world religions, and related issues

Navigation:
A Random Image
Da Vinci Code:

Da Vinci Code author in copyright dispute

Telegraph, UK
Feb. 26, 2006
www.telegraph.co.uk

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Item 13767 • Posted: Monday February 27, 2006  

Click here... More articles on this topic: Da Vinci Code

Conspiracy theories involving the Catholic Church and the Holy Grail are about to be investigated at the High Court.

One of the world’s highest-paid authors, Dan Brown, is being challenged by two men who claim he stole their ideas for his blockbuster, The Da Vinci Code.

Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh are suing their own publishers, Random House, claiming the international successful novel lifts from their 1982 book, The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, itself a best seller.

This non-fiction work deals with theories that Jesus and Mary Magdalene married, had a child, and the blood line continues to this day - with the Catholic Church trying suppress the discovery.

It is similar to the theme explored in the Dan Brown novel which won best book at last year’s British Book Awards and has sold over 30 million copies worldwide, earning the author ?45 million in one year.

If the two writers are successful and opt to take injunctions stopping use of their material, it could threaten the British release of the film adaptation of the novel, starring Tom Hanks and Sir Ian McKellen, which is scheduled to open on May 19.

The case, expected to last up to two weeks if there is no settlement in the meantime, is also likely to clarify existing copyright laws over the extent to which an author can use other people’s research.

Dan Brown acknowledges the theories of The Holy Blood in his novel and names the villain in his story Sir Leigh Teabing, which, it has been suggested, was a deliberate part anagram of the surnames of the authors of the earlier work.

The two books - which deal with parallel versions of the fate of Jesus Christ - have now ended up in the Chancery Division of the High Court for a battle over the huge financial returns both have generated by their success.


What You Can Do From Here

Read More Articles On These Topics
more cult news articlemore religion news Categories: Da Vinci Code
more religion news aboutmore Religion News Blog articles about
Share, Blog About, Bookmark, or Email This Article
Subscribe
Read Another Article
Find Related Information
cult research search enginecountercult information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults
Find Related Books


Most Popular Today


Share This Article

To share this page simply copy and paste one of these URL's:





Counter Cult Search

Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support.


Note: results are listed on another domain -- CounterCultSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.


Apologetics Search

Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs.


Note: results are listed on another domain -- ApologeticsSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.

About Religion News Blog
Religion News Blog (RNB), published by Apologetics Index, highlights news items and other resources on world religions, cults, religious sects, alternative religions and related issues. RNB's non-profit news clipping service is used by - among others - Christian apologists, countercult professionals, anticult organizations, cult experts, teachers, religion professionals, reporters and other researchers.

Home
Latest Headlines
RSS news feed [?]
Headlines by Email
News Trackers
Free content for your site
About RNB
Privacy Policy
Contact RNB
Link to RNB
Advertise on RNB
Apologetics Index
Cult FAQ
Apologetics Search Engine
CounterCult Search Engine