For years, the first live-action Asterix movie was thought lost. In 1967, Goscinny and Uderzo wrote the script for a telefilm entitled ‘Two Romans in Gaul’ which largely ignored the two Gauls and focused on the Romans Ticketbus and Prospectus. 55 years have passed since that tape and the Gauls continue to resist the invader irreducibly… Although it is becoming increasingly apparent to them that the budget has been dwindling.
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Since the rather mediocre ‘Asterix and Obelix against Caesar’ premiered in 1999, with Christian Clavier and Gerard Depardieu as both Gauls, his films followed one after the other. At least until in 2012, ‘Asterix and Obelix at the service of His Majesty’, now with only Depardieu resisting in the team, It ended with a resounding box office flop.
Now, ten years later, and after the success of the great 3D animated versions (especially ‘Asterix: The residence of the gods’ was hilarious), the franchise tries again with a fifth part entitled ‘Asterix and Obelix: the middle kingdom’ which, for the first time in the saga of real image, it will not be based on any previously published comics. In this totally original story, they will have to help a Chinese princess, Fu Yi, while both friends fall in love with her at the same time.
Asterix will be Guillaume Canet and, for the first time, Obelix will not be Depardieu, but Gilles Lellouche: the recognizable actors will be in the secondary roles, with Vincent Cassel playing Julius Caesar and Marion Cotillard playing Cleopatra. The trailer, which has expressions like “what the fuck is this?” and it seems more like a parody of Asterix than a tribute, it doesn’t leave great expectations, really. You don’t just have to be brave to try to fill Goscinny’s shoes: you also have to be very good.