With several books to his name (and adding The Secret of Secrets to his collection), Dan Brown is the creator of the character of Robert Langdon. The Harvard symbologist who always finds himself in some trouble, Brown’s books have been loved by millions of people around the world.
Four of his novels have also been adapted into live-action formats, including three iconic movies by Ron Howard and Tom Hanks and a TV show. Although not being the most accurate adaptations of Dan Brown’s books, we decided to rank them… according to what we feel is right.
So don your Harris Tweed jacket, open up the ancient history texts, and put on your logical mind, as we take a dive into every Dan Brown adaptation, ranked from worst to best.
4. The Lost Symbol (2021)
Starting with the worst Dan Brown adaptation ever, The Lost Symbol was a 2021 TV show created by Peacock. It featured Ashley Zukerman as a young Robert Langdon (a point criticized by many).
From stretching a single book into 10 episodes to the alleged “mansplaining” and “egoistic” behavior of this young Robert Langdon, the show was hailed as one of the worst adaptations ever, with Peacock canceling further seasons after the first season had aired.
The show was criticized for its uneven pacing, revealing early on that Mal’akh was Zachary Solomon, and for needless red herrings. Plus, for several people (like me), the lack of Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon was a big off-putting point while watching the TV show.
Of course, the show did some things right, but overall, its deviation from the book—specifically, altering the backstory and motivations of several characters—was completely unnecessary.
3. Inferno (2016)
Of course, not the best Dan Brown adaptation, but it had its fair share of great moments in the film. The fall of Bertrand Zobrits (quite literally), the chase, the iconic music by Hans Zimmer, everything was almost perfect, except that the movie lacked… soul.
Inferno was the third (and probably Tom Hanks’ last) movie in the Dan Brown adaptation series. Despite a credible story, the film lacked depth and tension in the scenes that other Ron Howard movies had captured so beautifully.
The decision to deviate from the ending of the novel was also criticized since that ending didn’t actually hurt anyone. From the uneven pacing to stuffing too much chaotic history into a single flick, Inferno did not receive the treatment that Ron Howard gave to his other two films.
What the film did manage to do was capture the beauty of Florence and Istanbul quite beautifully, but overall, it was an okayish flick with mixed reviews from people. But hey, at least Tom Hanks portrayed the role of Robert Langdon.
2. The Da Vinci Code (2006)
You thought this movie was going to win the list, right? Well, The Da Vinci Code is certainly an incredible movie that introduces us to the character of Robert Langdon (unlike the novel series). However, it’s not to say that the film was without its faults.
We don’t mean that the movie was complicated, but certain historical facts could have been presented in a better way (like the novel) instead of random droppings and during debates. Almost all of the movie was indeed perfect, but Tom Hanks was still settling into the role of Robert Langdon, so it felt a bit… cranky, at points.
The complicated story was presented as an unsolvable case for the audience, and the connections blurred between what’s real and what’s not. Naturally, although The Da Vinci Code was an iconic movie, it lacked the fine balance between religion and history as seen in Dan Brown’s books, making it the second-best Dan Brown adaptation of all time.
1. Angels & Demons
A quite controversial take, but our opinion nonetheless. Angels & Demons was the second Ron Howard movie starring Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon (the book was published before The Da Vinci Code, however).
The reason why Angels & Demons stands out as the best Brown adaptation is that it perfected everything that was imperfect in the first movie. From an even pacing that amplified with each hour passing by, to the historical lessons that unfolded as the story progressed, Angels & Demons was a perfect adaptation (other than the changed ending, of course).
Aside from the fact that Tom Hanks had done it before, the Robert Langdon persona feels much more comfortable in his skin than in The Da Vinci Code. The explosion scene with Hans Zimmer’s “503” playing in the background was the best thing that cinema has ever witnessed.
Much like many of the Robert Langdon films, Angels & Demons also suffered through terrible ratings because of its anti-religious themes and controversial talks, like the rest of the series.
However, Angels & Demons remains the best Dan Brown adaptation ever, due to the perfect pacing and a balanced tone between religion, science, and history.
Bonus trivia: Hans Zimmer has written three songs that are similar in tone to the Robert Langdon series: Chevaliers De Sangreal (The Da Vinci Code), 503 (Angels & Demons), and Life Must Have Its Mysteries (Inferno).
Which one is the best adaptation, according to you? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
