Da Vinci movie will open Cannes

The Da Vinci Code movie will open this year's Cannes film festival, two days before it is released worldwide. Based on Dan Brown's thriller, it stars Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Jean Reno, Sir Ian McKellen and Alfred Molina. About a fictional sinister plot to conceal the true meaning of the Holy Grail, it will open the prestigious French festival on 17 May. The movie is directed by Ron Howard, who won best picture and director Oscars in 2002 for A Beautiful Mind. [photo: undated picture of Columbia Pictures' The Da Vinci Code starring Audrey Tautou and Tom Hanks]