It's Just A Movie...

As if two lawsuits weren't enough to create a buzz...now comes word that the Vatican and the Catholic group Opus Dei are officially weighing in on the film version of The Da Vinci Code.

The Vatican side of the story comes courtesy of Sci Fi Wire:

A Vatican official railed against The Da Vinci Code, branding the book and its upcoming film version just more examples of Jesus being sold out by a wave of what he called "pseudo-historic" art, the Reuters news service reported.

The official, preaching in Rome in the presence of Pope Benedict, also condemned the so-called Gospel of Judas, an alternative view to traditional Christian teaching, which has received wide media attention recently.

Father Raniero Cantalamessa, whose official title is "Preacher of the Papal Household," made his comments in a sermon during a "Passion of the Lord" service in St. Peter's Basilica commemorating Christ's death on Good Friday, April 14.

Cantalamessa made several scathing references to The Da Vinci Code, without specifically mentioning the name of the worldwide best-seller. He said that people today were fascinated by "every new theory according to which he [Christ] was not crucified and did not die, ... but ran off with Mary Magdalene." The book has been adapted into a movie, starring Tom Hanks, which is due to be released next month. "No one will be able to stop this wave of speculation, which will see a sharp increase with the imminent release of a certain film," Cantalamessa added.

Cantalamessa also dismissed The Gospel of Judas, which claims that it was Christ himself who asked Judas to betray him. The Gospel of Judas received wide attention recently in media stories about the discovery of a 1,700-year-old copy. The so-called Gospel of Judas was already declared a heresy by the early church about two centuries after Christ died.

As for Catholic group Opus Dei--they want something from the fillmmakers:

[The organization] has called on the makers of upcoming film The Da Vinci Code to include a disclaimer, out of respect for their beliefs. The film, based on the Dan Brown bestseller, has caused controversy within the Catholic community for its unorthodox theories on Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene. And it portrays Opus Dei as a corrupt, barbarous cult at the centre of a cover-up of the truth about Christ. Opus Dei posted the letter to Sony on their Italian website. It reads, "Any such decision by Sony would be a gesture of respect toward the figure of Jesus, to the history of the Church and to the religious beliefs of viewers." Sony spokesperson Jim Kennedy says, "We have no plans to reveal any details regarding what is or isn't in the film until the release." He adds that the film was "a work of fiction, and at it's heart, it's a thriller, not a religious tract." (Opus Dei blurb courtesy World Entertainment News Network)

In the end, I think all of the controversy that surrounds this "certain" film, will only lead to bigger box office numbers and will in no way keep people from seeing the movie.

It will be interesting to see what the final outcome will be...and how it will play out.