Asterix & Obelix: Middle Kingdom has been in cinemas since February 2, but it is only the latest in a series of life-based adaptations of the famous Goscinny & Uderzo comic. No, Depardieu is gone. Let’s review them.
Now that Asterix & Obelix: The Middle Kingdom arrived at cinemamaking himself talked about perhaps more for the participation of Zlatan Ibrahimovic that of its protagonists or of history, it is interesting to retrace what for the adaptations of the comic by René Goscinny & Albert Uderzo it was a parallel experience. Because alongside the more natural transpositions in cartoon form (actually the first to be made), since 1999 the “irreducible Gauls” have taken on the features of flesh-and-blood actorswith a certain turnover which, as we shall see, especially affected the character of Asterix.
Asterix & Obelix: The Middle Kingdom, history and peculiarities of the new film in the series
Asterix & Obelix: The Middle Kingdom sees the two heroes leave for the Chineseto allow the Princess Fu Yi to rejoin the Empress his mother: the latter is the victim of an internal coup, even backed by Cesare (Vincent Cassel), just to disprove Cleopatra (Marion Cotillard), who deems it unknown in Asia. Asterix and Obelix escort Fu Yi, his bodyguard Gancio and the Phoenician merchant Graindemaïs, more or less consciously responsible for the rescue. Mission: Restore China under a single Empress!
Asterix & Obelix: Middle Kingdom has at least three firsts in the history of live-action adaptations of the comic: it is the first in which the same person directs and plays Asterix (he is Guillaume Canet), is the first to replace Gérard Depardieu as Obelix (with Gilles Lellouche), but above all it is the first a original subjectso much so that it is generating an imminent illustrated book of the same name (not quite comic like the regular issues).
Asterix & Obelix Take on Caesar (1999)
The live debut of Asterix, Obelix and the Gauls on the big screen dates back to 1999. Produced by Claude Berri, directed and partly written by a veteran like Claude Zidi, Asterix & Obelix versus Caesar it was up to that time the largest European blockbuster never realized (budget of almost 42 million euros!). For the protagonists were called Christian Clavier (Asterix), launched internationally thanks to the success of Visitors, e Gérard Depardieu (Obelix), who admitted that to play the corpulent character he struggled to have “daisies in the brain“. The story was a mix of several issues, starting with the seminal “Asterix the Gaul” (1959/1961), with ideas from “Asterix and the Soothsayer”, “Asterix and the Goths”, “Asterix the Legionnaire”, “Asterix Gladiator”, “Asterix and the Gift of Caesar” and a dash of “Asterix and the Obelix Spa” The custom of fielding was also inaugurated major international participations in the cast: Roberto Benigniin the wake of the Oscars at Life is Beautifulwas Legionnaire Detritus. Laetitia Casta era Falbalàthe impossible love of Obelix.
Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra (2002)
The great success of the previous film led Clavier and Depardieu to return as the two heroes in Asterix & Obelix – Mission Cleopatra (2002), where the Egyptian queen of the title was played by none other than ours Monica Bellucci. The inspiration was obviously the album-masterpiece “Asterix & Cleopatra” (1968), where the protagonists together with Panoramix go to Egyptto help an old friend of the druid, theNumerobis architectto make a palace for Caesar in record time, despite a competitor’s boycott. Directed and adapted were by the comedian Alain Chabatwho reserved for himself the proper role of Julius Caesar.
Asterix alle Olympiadi (2008)
After six years, the live action adaptations of the book become more casual, starting with the choice of protagonists. Depardieu keeps Obelix, but in Asterix alle Olympiadi the owner of the little Rooster is Clovis Cornillacin the story that adapts the 1971 comic of the same name. The production becomes more industrial, the directors Frédéric Forestier and Thomas Langmann do not collaborate on the screenplay, the special participations rampant: Alain Delon it’s Caesar, Jean-Pierre Cassel and Panoramix, Franck Dubosc it’s Assurancetourix the bard, they appear Zidane e Michael Schumacher (in the company of Jean Todt!), the Greek judges Alpha & Omega are played by ours Luke & Paul.
The story saw the Gauls competing in the Olympics in Greece, to help the young Alafolix conquer the princess Irina, whom he would marry only if he defeated the other Roman suitor Brutus, the son of the good Julius, in the race.
Asterix & Obelix in Her Majesty’s Service (2012)
Asterix & Obelix at Her Majesty’s service and the curtain for Gerard Depardieu’s Obelixwho greets with this story adapted from “Asterix and the Britons” and “Asterix and the Normans”, co-written and directed Laurent Tirardwhich in the same years is bringing another creation by Goscinny to the big screen, Little Nicholas. The actor for Asterix changes again, this round is Edouard Baer. Rain of French / international stars, once again: Julius Caesar passes a Fabrice LuchiniQueen Cordelia is Catherine Deneuve, Jean Rochefort is Lucio Fuino, Valerie Lemercier it’s Miss Macintosh, Dany Boon is Tetedepiaf. However, the Italian co-production also guarantees local names such as Luca Zingaretti (a general), Filippo Timi e Neri Marcoré (two decurions) e Niccolò Senni (Mega course).
History? Under siege by the Romans, the Britons and their Queen have no choice but to rely on the magic potion of Panoramix, sending their trusty Beltorax to the village of Asterix and Obelix, who will escort a barrel of the miraculous mixture all the way to Great Britain.
