Catholics 'Will Enjoy' Da Vinci Prequel: Howard

Ron Howard wants to make something clear: He is not anti-Catholic, and neither is his upcoming film, Angels & Demons. The beleaguered prequel to the similarly controversial Da Vinci Code is under fire from the Catholic League, and Howard responds to the latest “silly and mean-spirited work of propaganda” on the Huffington Post: “I believe Catholics, including most in the hierarchy of the Church, will enjoy the movie.”

In the movie, “Professor Robert Langdon teams up with the Catholic Church to thwart a vicious attack against the Vatican. What, exactly, is anti-Catholic about that?” Howard asks. He issues a challenge to detractors to see the film before judging, adding, “I have respect for Catholics and their Church, and I believe Angels & Demons treats the Church with respect—even a degree of reverence—for its traditions and beliefs.” (More Ron Howard stories.)