scaJust a couple of weeks ago Christopher Eccleston turned many a geek head when he announced that he was leaving the sucessful new Dr. Who show at the end of the current 13 episode season (or series, as they call it in Old Blighty). Could his decision have something to do with a former resident of Mayberry knocking on his door?

The Mirror is reporting that Ron Howard has chosen Eccleston, who you probably remember as the military dude in 28 Days Later, to play the albino assassin Silas in the big screen version of Conspiracy for Dummies, er The DaVinci Code. "As soon as film producers spotted Chris on Doctor Who they knew they had to go for him – he has everything they want. He is a very serious and respected actor who always gives a great performance. He would be brilliant as Silas. Some big names have already signed up for the film. Chris has now been sent a script and is mulling it over – but he has been told he may have to wear a long white wig" said an insider. Of course we all know that a true actor, like DeNiro, would grow long white hair between now and this summer’s start date.

Tom Hanks and Audrey Tatou have been cast in the film, which will shoot in Paris. I was going to make some kind of joke about French law demanding that Jean Reno be in the picture, but they I saw that he is, in fact, in the picture.

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