The Da Vinci Code, directed by Ron Howard and produced by Brian Grazer and John Calley for Columbia Pictures and Imagine Entertainment, will open the Festival de Cannes (Cannes Film Festival) on Wednesday May 17, 2006. The film will be presented Out of Competition.

The Da Vinci Code was adapted from Dan Brown's esoteric thriller with more than 30 million copies sold throughout the world. Top billing goes to Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou and Jean Reno with Paris's Louvre and Saint-Sulpice Church among the star sets of both the novel and film.

Ron Howard first came to Cannes for Willow (1988), followed by Far and Away (1992) and more recently Ed TV (1999).

The Da Vinci Code will be released in French theatres on the same day as its premiere at Cannes, and on Friday the 19th in its world release.

The Festival de Cannes (Cannes Film Festival) will run from Wednesday May 20th to Sunday May 28, 2006.