Tom Hanks has been a Hollywood staple for decades, and his filmography is packed with hits that keep fans coming back for more. One of his most intriguing roles is that of Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, a character who has starred in multiple adaptations of Dan Brown's bestselling novels. But if you haven't caught up on the big-screen adventures yet, you're running out of time—Angels & Demons is set to leave Netflix on November 1.
Directed by Ron Howard, this 2009 mystery-thriller plunges Langdon into a high-stakes race through Rome. He must stop the Illuminati, a secret society, from using a stolen antimatter bomb to destroy Vatican City while also rescuing kidnapped cardinals. It's a pulse-pounding puzzle that blends history, religion, and action, and it's a must-watch for fans of the genre.
Interestingly, the movie's release order can be a bit confusing. In the book series, Angels & Demons (2000) actually comes before The Da Vinci Code (2003) chronologically. But in Hollywood, the films flipped that order: The Da Vinci Code hit theaters in 2006, and its sequel, Angels & Demons, followed in 2009. Then, in 2016, the franchise continued with Inferno, based on the fourth novel.
But what about the third book, The Lost Symbol? It never made it to the big screen. Sony had plans to adapt it as the third Hanks-led movie, and scripts were even commissioned. However, Ron Howard later admitted that they couldn't crack the story. He felt the Washington, D.C. setting, Freemason conspiracy, and puzzle-driven plot were too similar in tone to the previous films. Hanks echoed that sentiment, and when Dan Brown released Inferno in 2013, Howard saw a more cinematic opportunity with its Dante-inspired mystery and global biological threat. So they skipped ahead, and Inferno was released in 2016.
Now, with Angels & Demons leaving Netflix, it's a good time to revisit the film or catch it for the first time. If you're in the mood for more thrillers that keep you on the edge of your seat, check out our list of thrillers that never lose their grip. And if you're looking for other titles to binge, we've got five near-perfect thriller series on Netflix to keep you entertained.
For fans of the Robert Langdon saga, there's more on the horizon. Netflix is developing a series adaptation of the books, with Morgan Spector of The Gilded Age attached to star. That's exciting news for those who want to see more of Langdon's adventures, even as the movies leave the streaming platform.
So mark your calendars and make time to watch Angels & Demons before it disappears. It's a gripping ride that showcases Hanks at his best, and once it's gone, you'll have to wait for the series to get your fix.
