Da Vinci Code faces new lawsuit

Russian author Dr Mikhail Anikin claims that Dan Brown, author of the Da Vinci Code has plagiarised his book, Leonardo Da Vinci: Theology In Paint.

Brown recently defeated a legal challenge by the authors of Holy Blood, Holy Grail, a book he obviously used in writing his own novel.

The lawsuits appear aimed at getting a piece of the pie from the forthcoming release of the Da Vinci Code movie in May. Holy Blood, Holy Grail sales have shot up and Michael Baigent, one of the co-authors, recently released The Jesus Papers, which is also having brisk sales.

Brown's Da Vinci Code is currently number one on USA TODAY's best-seller list.

All the hype will undoubtedly help the box office receipts of the movie, although the legal troubles may have scratched any plans for a Holy Week release a la Mel Gibson and The Passion.

Unlike Gibson's film which was generally lauded in Christian circles, the Da Vinci Code has ruffled the feathers of folk in the Vatican and elsewhere.

Many see it as an attempt to integrate "New Age" or "Eastern" concepts of the divine female with traditional Christianity.