"The Da Vinci Code" Heading to Trial for Serious Copyright Infringement Suit

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I'm not surprised by this suit. I have friends who told me that these books were extremely similar. The main difference apparently is that The Holy Blood & The Holy Grail is presented as a nonfiction argument about the things the Da Vinci Code uses as fiction. This could be an interesting case considering that "facts" and "ideas" are not copyrightable, therefore the authors of Holy Blood may have a hurdle to cross in the suit, as they presented the material as fact in their book. If they win though...wow, the DaVinci Code has made so much money that damages could be whopping. Here's a clip:

Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh are suing publisher Random House, claiming that Brown's "The Da Vinci Code" lifts ideas from their 1982 nonfiction book, "The Holy Blood and The Holy Grail." Their work explores theories that Jesus and Mary Magdalene married and had a child and that their blood line continues to the present day.

A similar theme is explored in Brown's novel, which has sold some 25 million copies around the world and is being made into a Hollywood movie starring Tom Hanks.

CNN: Authors sue UK 'Da Vinci' publishers