10 Films Inspired By Real Life Events (That Never Actually Happened)
6. The Da Vinci Code Has No Historical Basis Behind It
The Da Vinci Code could quite easily have distanced itself from the best-selling and controversial book that it was based on before it was released and insisted that the entire film was a work of fiction.
"But why would we ever do that?" cried the marketing department.
The Da Vinci Code is largely based on another book - Holy Blood And The Holy Grail, which itself was written by three men who read a book written by another guy who claimed to be the Grand Master of the secret society both The Da Vinci Code film and book claimed were real but isn't.
The Prieure De Sion, or Priory Of Sion, was an organisation its creator had claimed had existed to guard the bloodline of Christ for over two thousand years, a hoax so obscure he forged records that were placed in Paris's foremost library so that anyone who went looking for the organisation would find the documents and think the organisation was real.
Despite this hoax being exposed almost thirty years prior to the film's release, author Dan Brown claimed that both the organisation and the secret bloodline of Jesus was real, and even after being told he was wrong numerous times, the film still ran with it anyway and The Da Vinci Code became every bit as controversial as famed historical liberty taker Mel Gibson's Passion Of The Christ.