Comic book fans will be well familiar with the antics ofAsterix and Obelix. Since 1961, aficionados the world over have been delighted by the adventures of ancient Gaul’s most indomitable warriors – Asterix, brave and cunning, and Obelix, lumbering and loyal. They enjoy nothing more than hunting wild boar and a punch-up with whichever bunch of Roman legionaries had the misfortune to be posted to the wilds of Armorica. The comic book series survived the deaths of its creators, René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo, and has been continued in recent years by new writers, with the thirty-ninth book published last year.
With almost 400 million books sold and translations available in over 100 languages, it is unsurprising that the film industry quickly zeroed in on the idea of adaptingAsterixfor the big screen. The pair’s cinematic outings have, however, been more hit-and-miss affairs. The first adaptations were straightforward animated versions of some of the more popular books, such asAsterix and CleopatraandAsterix in Britain. They were box officehits in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Then, in 1999, a live-action film was released.
Starring big box office draws such as Gérard Depardieu as Obelix and Academy Award winner Roberto Benigni (Life is Beautiful),Asterix and Obelix vs. Caesarwas a smash hit in France and paved the way for a slew of sequels.
However, the poor critical and popular reception forAsterix and Obelix: God Save Britannia(2013) seemed to put an end to the franchise. That is until the confirmation of a reboot coming next year. Here’s what we know aboutAsterix and Obelix: The Middle Kingdom.
Asterix and Obelix: The Middle Kingdom: The Plot
Although Asterix, Obelix, and their fellow Gaulish villagers such as Cacofonix the bard and Getafix the druid get up to plenty of shenanigans in their native Armorica, some of the most successful comic books have been those that have taken the pair away from Gaul.Asterix in Britain(1986) andAsterix and the Vikings(2006; an adaptation ofAsterix and the Normans) have both successfully made the transition to film, whileAsterix and the Olympic Games(2008) put the Gauls in Ancient Greece, grossing over $130 million worldwide despite afrosty critical reception.
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More recently, however, the creators, having exhausted the list of nearby countries to have Asterix and Obelix visit, have been sending them ever further from Gaul.Asterix and the Magic Carpet(1987) involved a trip to India, whileAsterix and the Griffinmostly took place in Sarmatia on the steppes of modern-day Russia and Ukraine.
Asterix and Obelix: The Middle Kingdom, however, sends the pair even further afield, this time to China, at the behest of princess Fu Yi, who has escaped from a villainous prince and arrives in Gaul seeking help. The film is notable as the first not to have been adapted from or based on a pre-existing Asterix story.
Asterix and Obelix: The Middle Kingdom: The Cast
How do you solve a problem like Asterix? Over the last four live-action films, the lead role has been played by three different actors. We get a further change this time round, asGuillaume Canet dons the winged helmet. Canet’s career has been almost exclusively in French film and television. However, English-language audiences will know him from roles opposite Leonardo DiCaprio inThe Beach(2000) and the 2015 biopic recounting the story of disgraced road cyclist Lance Armstrong,The Program. Obelix is played by Gilles Lellouche, whose prolific French-language movie career has encompassed thrillers, fantasy, and action films.
But the Hollywood A-listers are found among the supporting cast. Chiefamong them is Vincent Cassel, whose work opposite Natalie Portman inBlack Swan(2010) brought him to wider attention. Cassel’s more recent roles have included Engerraund Serac in season three ofWestworld(2020) and a starring role opposite Kristen Stewart in William Eubank’s sci-fi horrorUnderwater(2020).
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Playing against Cassel’s bumptious Julius Caesar is Queen Cleopatra,played by Marion Cotillard. The Academy Award-winning star ofInception,The Dark Knight Rises, andContagionhas had a quiet year in terms of her movie appearances. A notable highlight was a lead role in the French-language dramaFrère et Sœur(Brother and Sister), which debuted at Cannes in the spring. Cotillard is also due to star inExtrapolations, the long-awaited Apple TV+ anthology series about climate change that is currently in pre-production.
Other cast members include Jonathan Cohen (Army of Thieves),Asterix at the Olympic Gamesstar José Garcia, and Manu Payet.
Release date
Filming was due to take place in China in 2020 but was moved to France because of the Covid-19 pandemic.Asterix and Obelix: The Middle Kingdomwill be released in French cinemas on June 02, 2025. Release dates for North America have yet to be announced.
