The Artworks Being Decoded: Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man, Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, and Madonna of the Rocks the Rosslyn Chapel in Roslin, Scotland the Louvre Inverted Pyramid

Langdon and Neveu zip around Paris and London in a race against Opus Dei, who seek to destroy the Grail and keep the Vatican's secret safe.

Through the use of clues hidden in works by Leonardo da Vinci, they set off to find the Holy Grail, but their plan is thrown for a loop when historian Sir Leigh Teabing (Ian McKellen, 82) reveals a potentially history-altering secret: The Grail is not a chalice but instead Mary Magdalene, who was actually the wife of Jesus Christ and the mother of his child.

The Plot: When a curator at the Louvre turns up dead with bloody symbols carved into his body, Harvard symbology professor Robert Langdon (Hanks) begins an investigation with the help of the victim's granddaughter, police cryptologist Sophie Neveu ( Amélie's Audrey Tautou). Be warned: There are plenty of spoilers ahead!īased On: The second book in the Robert Langdon series, 2003's The Da Vinci Code Before you dive in, here's a quick refresher course on the first three films and a preview of the series, with everything you need to know - from the artworks being decoded to the wanderlust-inspiring settings and the controversies they've attracted along the way. This month, the streaming service Peacock releases the latest Langdon thriller, a prequel TV series based on his book The Lost Symbol (out Sept. While they may not have captivated critics, the films have nonetheless grossed nearly $1.5 billion worldwide. The books have also spawned a cinematic trilogy, starring Tom Hanks (65) and directed by Ron Howard (67). His Robert Langdon series features a juicy page-turning combination of religion, art, cryptography and conspiracy theories that has continually propelled him to the top of the best-seller list since the release of his 2000 hit Angels & Demons. With more than 200 million copies of his books in print worldwide, The Da Vinci Code novelist Dan Brown, 57, is an undisputed pop-literature powerhouse. Tom Hanks (left) in 'Angels & Demons' and Ashley Zukerman in 'The Lost Symbol.' Sony Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection David Lee/Peacock

The vinci code series