(CNN) -- If director Ron Howard hopes religious controversy will help sell tickets to "Angels & Demons" the way it boosted his "Da Vinci Code," the Catholic Church is not playing along with his script. Tom Hanks reprises his role as professor Robert Langdon in "Angels & Demons." Howard, who premiered the follow-up in Rome, Italy, this week, said there was "residual antagonism from 'The Da Vinci Code,' " but Vatican officials ignored the movie by not responding to suggestions that the church was offended. The first movie based on Dan Brown's mega-selling novels earned $750 million worldwide in 2006.
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"Angels & Demons," new Ron Howard film, based on Dan Brown novel
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Brown's "Da Vinci Code" was controversial book made into controversial film
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Howard believes Vatican holds grudge; priest says Church barely aware of "Angels"
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"While I haven't read Dan's next installment of the @placeholder adventures, I'm dying to," he said.