There was no problem when the ‘Da Vinci Code’ prequel ‘Angels & Demons’ was filming in Rome, but there won’t be any filming inside the famous churches. Two of them very publicly banned the movie from shooting, since the Tom Hanks movie “does not conform ” their views.

A spokesman said Dan Brown’s ‘Da Vinci Code’ in 2006 affected the decision. “It’s a film that treats religious issues in a way that contrasts with common religious sentiment. This is a prequel to ‘The Da Vinci Code’ and it’s clear that the theme is similar,” he said. But he noted the film crew could still shoot the exterior of the churches.

And so the battle with the Catholic church continues.

TrovaCinema took some shots of Tom Hanks and Ron Howard at the set of ‘Angels & Demons.’ Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor weren’t there, but we know McGregor might still be filming ‘Amelia’ in Canada.

Yikes, I hope all that info didn’t sound like some kind of gossip magazine. Let’s throw in some numbers to look professional. Reportedly, Tom Hanks will get $50 million for making the ‘Da Vinci Code’ prequel if it does well at the box office. Below you can view his million dollar run.

[update]
Naomi Watts is apparently not part of the cast anymore. She has been replaced by Ayelet Zurer, who recently appeared in ‘Vantage Point.’ Thanks for the tip steandric!

Indian billionaire Anil Ambani has announced a series of Hollywood deals worth $1 billion, the biggest ‘invasion’ by an Indian company to date. His entertainment studio Reliance Big has made deals with production companies of people like Tom Hanks, Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Nicolas Cage. Ambani expects to generate 30 scripts, with about 10 movies going into production.

India still has one of the fastest growing film markets. And while they sell twice as many tickets as in Hollywood, the low prices keep the Indian companies from making ‘Hollywood money.’ But the market is growing fast. It grew 25% in 2007 compared to 2006 and is expected to grow 18% per year the next five years. This is why studios like Disney are already setting foot in Bollywood, before it will take over Hollywood as the number one market.