From correspondents in London, England, 10:00 PM IST

Even before his latest novel 'The Lost Symbol' could hit the bookshelves, film bosses of 'The Da Vinci Code' have announced a third instalment in the franchise, based on the latest offering by its author Dan Brown.

Contactmusic.com reports, executives at Columbia Pictures, the studio behind the movies, have given a nod to the third sequel of the film even when the book is to release in September this year and the second sequel 'Angels and amp; Demons' still to hit the screens May 15 in the US and India.

The film adaptation of 'The Da Vinci Code', starring Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks, was a box office smash, grossing more than $758 million (505 million pounds) worldwide.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)