If you were one of the millions of people stunned and amazed by the plot of The Da Vinci Code, you might be interested to know that author Dan Brown stands accused of stealing the idea for the global bestseller.

In a breach of copyright claim which opens in the British high court on Monday, Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh, who co-wrote The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail with Henry Lincoln, have sued publishing giants Random House over the bestseller, which they say stole the whole `architecture' of their book, which was published in 1982.

Tom Hanks, Ian McKellen in Da Vinci Code!

Incidentally, Random House published both The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail and The Da Vinci Code.

The British opening for the film -- May 19 -- based on Brown's book is in the doldrums because of the lawsuit.

The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail and The Da Vinci Code have the same theme -- that Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene married and that their bloodline continues.

Dan Brown acknowledges the theories of the 1982 book in his blockbuster which has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide.

The case is expected to last up to 14 days.

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