The Da Vinci Code Finally Gets a Paperback Version

Publishers Weekly reports that the long-awaited paperback version of The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown will hit bookstores on March 28, 2006 to coordinate with the release of the feature film starring Tom Hanks.

Ever since Sony announced the May 19 movie release of The Da Vinci Code last fall, and released the film's trailer in mid-December, the question in the book industry has been when the tie-in paperback would arrive. Newsweek's Jan. 2 cover story, touting Da Vinci as the year's "hottest movie," only upped the ante. Now, retailers say, Anchor Books has set a March 28 release date for the long-awaited mass-market edition.

Though Anchor is guarding the printing and other specifics as closely as clues to the Holy Grail, the figure is likely to outstrip those for each of the last three Harry Potter paperbacks, which had first printings of up to 2.5 million.

With hardcover sales of 12 million in North America in less than three years, Da Vinci will be back at #1 on PW’s hardcover fiction list next Monday after slipping as low as #13 on November 7 (and off the New York Times printed list on November 13). For Allison Elsby, category manager for genre fiction at Borders & Walden, that's the strongest sign that plenty of people still haven't read the book and that demand for the paperback will be strong.

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Unlike Anchor, Dan Brown's other publishers are a little more forthcoming about the details of their makeover plans for his backlist. Pocket will publish new premium mass market editions of both Angels and Demons and Deception Point, each with first printings of 1 million, that will retail for $9.99. St. Martin's will resolicit orders for Digital Fortress.

We're looking forward to the Da Vinci Code movie and hope there will be lots of exiting protests about the film. That's always fun.