Asterix at the Olympic Games (film)

Asterix at the Olympic Games
Asterix at the Olympic Games
	French theatrical release poster
Directed by	Frédéric Forestier; Thomas Langmann;
Screenplay by	Alexandre Charlot; Thomas Langmann; Frank Magnier;
Based on	Asterix at the Olympic Games; by René Goscinny; Albert Uderzo
Produced by	Thomas Langmann; Jérôme Seydoux;
Starring	Gérard Depardieu; Clovis Cornillac; Benoît Poelvoorde; Alain Delon; Vanessa Hessler; Franck Dubosc; José Garcia; Stéphane Rousseau; Jean-Pierre Cassel; Élie Semoun; Alexandre Astier;
Cinematography	Thierry Arbogast
Edited by	Yannick Kergoat; Vincent Tabaillon;
Music by	Frédéric Talgorn
Production; companies	Pathé Renn Productions; La Petite Reine;
Distributed by	Pathé Distribution (France, Switzerland and United Kingdom); Constantin Film (Germany and Austria); Tripictures (Spain); Warner Bros. Pictures (Italy); Alternative Films (Belgium)
Release date	January 30, 2008;
Running time	117 minutes
Country	France;
Languages	French; Portuguese
Budget	$113.5 million
Box office	$133 million

Asterix at the Olympic Games (French: Astérix aux Jeux olympiques) is a 2008 French fantasy comedy film co–directed by Frédéric Forestier and Thomas Langmann, and written by Langmann, Alexandre Charlot and Frank Magnier, based on characters from René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo's Astérix comic series. A sequel to Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra (2002), it is the third installment in the Asterix film series.

At the time of its release, it was the most expensive French and non English-language film of all time.^[4] The film was negatively received by critics, but performed well at several European box offices, topping charts in Poland, Spain and France.^[5] It was the final film of Alain Delon before his death.^[6]

Plot

Astérix and Obélix must win the Olympic Games in Greece in order to help their friend Lovesix marry Greek princess Irina. Brutus uses every trick in the book to have his own team win the game and get rid of his father Julius Caesar in the process.

The film is loosely adapted from the original Asterix at the Olympic Games comic book. The love story subplot between Lovesix and Irina was not featured in the original story. Brutus, portrayed here as a comical villain with no relation to his depictions in Asterix comics, is the main antagonist, although he was not even featured as a character in the original comic book.

Cast

Gérard Depardieu as Obélix
Clovis Cornillac as Astérix
Benoît Poelvoorde as Brutus
Jean-Pierre Cassel as the Druid Panoramix
Alain Delon as Julius Caesar
Bouli Lanners as Samagas
Jean-Pierre Castaldi as Castaldus
Michael Bully Herbig as Pasunmotdeplus, Brutus' mute sidekick
Dorothée Jemma as Bonemine
Santiago Segura as Docteurmabus
Vanessa Hessler as Princess Irina
Stéphane Rousseau as Lovesix
José Garcia as Couverdepus
Vincent Moscato as Goth
Luca Bizzarri as Alpha
Paolo Kessisoglu as Omega

There is a cameo of Adriana Karembeu as Mrs Geriatrix and Jamel Debbouze reprises his role as Numerobis. Italian comedy actor Enrico Brignano appears as a reporter.

The film featured several cameos by real-life sports stars, most prominently by Michael Schumacher as Schumix, but also Jean Todt, Zinedine Zidane, Tony Parker and Amélie Mauresmo. Professional wrestler Nathan Jones portrays Humungus. The part of Roman athlete Claudius Cornedurus (Gluteus Maximus), played by Jérôme Le Banner, was originally to be played by Jean-Claude Van Damme.^[7]

Production

Filming

Filming took place in Alicante (including the Ciudad de la Luz studio),^[8] Spain and lasted six months.

Reception

Box office

The film grossed $23.4 million in France in its opening weekend, which was more than 60% of its gross in 19 territories in which the film was released. Box Office Mojo estimated $38.7 million in revenue within a week after the film was released.^[9]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Asterix at the Olympic Games (2006)". UniFrance. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
^ "Astérix aux Jeux Olympiques - Astérix at the Olympic Games (PG)". British Board of Film Classification. 28 January 2008. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
^ ^a ^b "Astérix aux Jeux Olympiques".
^ Cendrowicz, Leo (31 January 2008). "Asterix Aims to Conquer Europe". Time. Archived from the original on 1 February 2008. Retrieved 31 January 2008.
^ [1]^{[dead link]}
^ "Mesmeric and beautiful, Alain Delon was one of cinema's most mysterious stars". The Guardian.
^ "News : Alain Delon et Jean-Claude Van Damme dans "Astérix 3" !". Allocine.fr. Archived from the original on 28 July 2009. Retrieved 31 December 2010.
^ Beltran, Adolf; Bono, Ferran (7 June 2014). "Lights go out on Alicante movie studios". El País.
^ "Around the World Roundup: 'Asterix' Leaps to the Top". Box Office Mojo. 10 February 2008. Retrieved 31 December 2010.

External links

[uni-1] "Asterix at the Olympic Games (2006)". UniFrance. Retrieved 1 August 2021.

[2] "Astérix aux Jeux Olympiques - Astérix at the Olympic Games (PG)". British Board of Film Classification. 28 January 2008. Retrieved 8 October 2016.

[Astérix_aux_Jeux_Olympiques-3] "Astérix aux Jeux Olympiques".

[time-4] Cendrowicz, Leo (31 January 2008). "Asterix Aims to Conquer Europe". Time. Archived from the original on 1 February 2008. Retrieved 31 January 2008.

[5] [1]^{[dead link]}

[6] "Mesmeric and beautiful, Alain Delon was one of cinema's most mysterious stars". The Guardian.

[7] "News : Alain Delon et Jean-Claude Van Damme dans "Astérix 3" !". Allocine.fr. Archived from the original on 28 July 2009. Retrieved 31 December 2010.

[8] Beltran, Adolf; Bono, Ferran (7 June 2014). "Lights go out on Alicante movie studios". El País.

[9] "Around the World Roundup: 'Asterix' Leaps to the Top". Box Office Mojo. 10 February 2008. Retrieved 31 December 2010.

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