The Lost Symbol

[That-Guy]

I'm about 350 pages into this book right now and I love it so far... apparently a movie is planned, which means that Tom Hanks will likely be suiting up again as Robert Langdon and Ron Howard likely will be directing. As much as I HATED Howards adaptation of The Da Vinci Code, I thought he improved a bit with Angels & Demons (despite changing the names of a bunch of the characters for reasons I don't understand). I think that he might be able to do The Lost Symbol justice as well, since it doesn't delve as far into controversial religious issues as much as the other two and thus, Howard might not be afraid to do the book justice.

Plus, maybe if he signs onto this, he'll hand the reigns of one of my other favorite books, THE DARK TOWER, over to more capable hands. Because let's face it, he's definitely wrong for that series.

Anyway, here are some thoughts on casting. Obviously, Hanks will return as Langdon. Others...

Mal'akh - Michael Fassbender
Katherine Solomon - Annabella Sciorra
Peter Solomon - Michael Douglas
Warren Bellamy - Harry Lennix
Dean Galloway - Mark Margolis
Inoue Sato - Joan Chen

 

[KBX]

Hmmm... care to give a quick review what the lost symbol is or about?

 

[That-Guy]

Basically, a saboteur of sorts works his way up to the highest level of the masons with the intent on finding secret and potentially dangerous information. His plan involves kidnapping, human sacrifice and a lot of other dastardly deeds.

Amid all of this, Robert Langdon gets a call from his old mentor to comes to Washington, DC and do a lecture on Masonic culture. But not all is what it seems...

I won't say anything else because I don't want to spoil anything for ya.

 

[terry78]

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=72555


Dan Brown will be doing rewrites for this one.

 

[obin_gam]

Book sounds interesting. I for one, loved the hell out of Angels & Demons And the film didnt do quite bad either... except for missing the whole point :P But it was entertaining at least.

 

[DACrowe]

Basically if you've read one Dan Brown/Robert Landgon book, you've read 'em all. This one is set in Washington D.C. and it is his mentor as opposed to the girl's that brings him to town and we are dealing with Masons and evil conspiracies in the US government instead of the Catholic Church.

YOu can probably figure out how it will play out, especially if the casting is what Howard always does--Who is the most famous supporting actor playing a really likable character? Ian McKellan? Ewan McGregor? Well they sure seem trustworthy, unlike the only other suspect who is twirling a moustache in their first scene played by villainous actors Jean Reno and Stellan Skarsgard....how will this turn out?



But hey, it can be fun. I actually think Howard made good decisions with the second film by toning down Langdon (and the McGregor's as well) role with the chopper and light-thingy bomb. So, maybe he can breathe some more believability to this book, as well.

 

[Octoberist]

Tom Hanks And Ron Howard To Return For Next Dan Brown Movie ‘Inferno’; Sony Sets December 2015 Release Date

UPDATE, 1:52 PM: Tom Hanks and Ron Howard, the star and director, respectively, of Sony’s first two tentpole movies based on Dan Brown’s novels, are returning for Inferno, we’ve learned. Hanks had been expected to reprise his role as Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon for The Lost Symbol, the third novel in Brown’s book series. But Howard had bowed out of that project, which is now on the back burner, saying he wanted to produce it with Brian Grazer and their Imagine Entertainment but not direct. Now we’re hearing he’ll return for Inferno.

PREVIOUS BREAKING…Inferno was released in May and is the fourth Robert Langdon book written by The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons author Dan Brown. Sony, which has film rights to the franchise, has just set a December 18, 2015 release date for it. David Koepp, who wrote Angels & Demons, is aboard to write the script. The news means Brown’s third installment of the thriller series, The Lost Symbol, will not be the next movie for Sony. Danny Strong had been set to write that adaptation in March 2012 and the expectation was the film would be directed by Mark Romanek after Ron Howard opted out of directing as he had done on the first two pics. Not much has been heard of that project since, and now Sony is leapfrogging it for Inferno.

Inferno the novel is set in Europe and inspired by Dante, author of the 14th century poem The Divine Comedy, the author’s journey through hell, purgatory and heaven. The protagonist is once again is Langdon. The franchise is an important one for Sony: Da Vinci Code grossed $758 million worldwide in 2006, and while Angels & Demons dropped off to a $486 million worldwide gross in 2009, that is still a big box office haul.

http://www.deadline.com/2013/07/son...r-december-2015-will-come-before-lost-symbol/

I have no idea why they're skipping The Lost Symbol for Inferno.

 

[Octoberist]

And a Mod should change the title to" Howard/Hanks in 'Dan Brown's Inferno'

 

[Rocketman]

In a weird way, this isn't surprising, but on the other hand... this is kind of out-of-left-field news. Angels & Demons came out 4 years ago.

Oddly enough, the Angels & Demons novel came out before The DaVinci Code, yet the movie takes place after. I have a feeling with this track record, The Lost Symbol will get made.

 

[Octoberist]

But why skip The Lost Symbol for Inferno?

 

[ravn0s]

dante's inferno, italy setting > american setting

 

[Marvolo]

But why skip The Lost Symbol for Inferno?

Ron Howard has no interest in doing it. Cant blame him. That is the worst of the Langdon novels.

 

[Spider-Who?]

But why skip The Lost Symbol for Inferno?

Because the reveal at the end of The Lost Symbol is utterly stupid and ruins any credibility and quality the story would otherwise have.

In the book, several people are killed/sacrifice themselves in order to protect the secret power of the Free Masons. What is this amazing thing that people would die for before allowing it to be in the hands of evil men?

Spoiler

The Bible

I'm not sure if Dan Brown did this as some sort of apology to religious people who had issues with his previous books, or if it was intended as a slam against them. It was utterly terrible stupid in either case.

 

[Bruce Malone]

dante's inferno, italy setting > american setting

I actually think this is right on the money. The "robert Langdon" series is pretty much an international one now. Both have made the large majority of their money overseas.

Overseas locales and international actors help in that regard.

 

[dude stannis]

Great news. The Langdon films are guilty pleasures of mine.

 

[terry78]

They do find some decent actors for the villains, as cliche as they may act.

 

[jacobed]

I really love Inferno so I'm jacked for this