McKellen joins cast of 'Da Vinci Code'

LOS ANGELES, April 20 (UPI) -- Ian McKellen and Alfred Molina are joining the cast of director Ron Howard's adaptation of "The Da Vinci Code," Daily Variety reported Wednesday.

Brian Grazer and John Calley are producing the Sony Pictures Entertainment project, from Akiva Goldsman's adaptation of Dan Brown's best-selling novel. Goldsman won an Oscar for his adapted screenplay for Howard's "A Beautiful Mind."

McKellen will play a wealthy benefactor who helps Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) but has his own designs on acquiring the Holy Grail. Molina will play Bishop Arigarosa. The cast also includes Audrey Tautou and Jean Reno.

Production is scheduled to begin in June, with plans for a May 2006 release.