The countdown to the May 15 release of 'Angels & Demons' has begun, and ET has exclusive new scenes from the movie starring Tom Hanks! Read on to find out why the Vatican may not want you to see this movie…

The follow-up to the hit phenomenon 'The Da Vinci Code' from Oscar-winning team Ron Howard and Brian Grazer, 'Angels & Demons' finds Tom's Robert Langdon character on the hunt for The Illuminati, a group who believes that faith can be disproved by science.

"The Illuminati have resurfaced," explains Ron, "and are using cutting edge science to threaten to destroy the Vatican. … Centuries ago the Catholic Church did persecute scientists who were developing ideas that they thought were progressive and that the church found threatening."

The story's ideas challenge some religious beliefs, making it a potentially controversial movie that the Vatican may not want audiences to see.

"The nature of the controversy is discussed all the time," says Tom. "Science has been on this one track, and faith and theology is on another track."

Ewan McGregor also stars in the film as a priest who struggles between science and faith.

"My character believes in the church, and if science is able to claim creation, he says at one point, 'What is left for God?'"

Watch ET for more 'Angels & Demons' exclusives!