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That which did not kill The Da Vinci Code apparently made it stronger.

The movie version of the controversial Dan Brown novel about Jesus being a married father survived theological protests and weak reviews to rack up a powerful $77 million in opening weekend ticket sales.

In Italy, where the Vatican had called on Catholics to boycott the film because of the suggestion Jesus had a child with Mary Magdalene, Da Vinci notched the highest grossing weekend ever, with $11.5 million.

The Ron Howard-Tom Hanks flick had the 13th highest opening weekend in U.S. history — and earned $147 million more overseas, an all-time record.

Neither the protests of Catholic groups nor the warning by critics that the film is tedious deterred the fans or the curious.

“This movie became an event,” said Paul Dergarabedian, president of the trade group Exhibitor Relations. “All the protests and the negative reviews only seem to have helped raise awareness. It made people want to see it for themselves.”

Most critics warned them not to, with many calling Howard’s direction flat and even Hanks’ lead performance uninspiring.

“But you have to remember this already had a built-in audience of 40 or 50 million people who had read the book,” said Dergarabedian.

The Vatican and other Christian groups called it blasphemous that the characters played by Hanks and Audrey Tautou spend the film on a dangerous search for this alleged alternative origin to Christianity.

A Catholic lay organization, the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property, asked worshipers to stage prayer vigils outside theatres. They did — in New York and elsewhere.

Sony denied it was fanning any flames.

“I think most people realized we weren’t taking a (theological) position,” said Rory Bruer, president of distribution for Sony Pictures.

“All we really set out to do is make compelling entertainment.”

Sony would have been “ecstatic” if the film had earned $50 million to $60 million, said Bruer, who suggested the avalanche of publicity — positive and negative — worked to its benefit.

“When people discuss your movie,” he said, “it’s always good.”[[In-content Ad]]

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