Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra

Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra
Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	2002
Founder	Alain Chabat (director and screenwriter)
Products	Fantasy comedy film

Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra () is a 2002 fantasy comedy motion picture marking the directorial debut of Alain Chabat, who also penned the screenplay. This film is an adaptation of the Asterix comic series originally created by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo. With a production budget of $54.4 million (€50 million), it held the record as the most costly French film at that time. The movie achieved both critical acclaim and commercial success, earning $131 million worldwide, making it France's highest-grossing film in over three decades and ranking as the second top-grossing French film after 1966's La Grande Vadrouille.

The storyline is inspired by the 1965 comic Asterix and Cleopatra, which had previously been adapted into an animated feature in 1968. This installment is the second live-action entry in the Asterix film series. Returning to their roles are Christian Clavier as Asterix and Gérard Depardieu as Obelix, alongside new cast members such as Jamel Debbouze, Monica Bellucci, Claude Rich, Gérard Darmon, Édouard Baer, and Dieudonné. Director Alain Chabat also appears on screen. This film follows the 1999 release of Asterix and Obelix vs. Caesar.

Plot

Queen Cleopatra aims to demonstrate Egypt's dominance by challenging Julius Caesar to construct a palace in Alexandria surpassing his Roman residence within a three-month timeframe. She appoints architect Numerobis under threat of execution, much to the displeasure of her usual architect, Pyradonis. Numerobis seeks help from the druid Getafix, whose enchanted potion accelerates construction work.

Upon arriving in Alexandria, they utilize Getafix's magic potion to hasten building progress with Cleopatra's consent. Pyradonis tries multiple times to sabotage their efforts—leading Asterix, Obelix, and Getafix astray inside a pyramid and falsely accusing them of plotting assassination—but his plans consistently fail. Subsequently, he alerts Caesar, who lays siege to the construction site to compel surrender. Numerobis and the Gauls defend the project and inform Cleopatra of the situation. After a duel between Pyradonis and Numerobis, Cleopatra chastises Caesar for his unsportsmanlike conduct. The Romans then lift the siege and join in completing the palace, which is finished on schedule. Caesar concedes that Egypt stands as the greatest empire. Numerobis receives a large reward in gold; Getafix acquires scrolls from the Library of Alexandria; and all participants celebrate with a grand feast.

Cast

Character		Original actor	English voice
Original actor	English voice	Original actor	English voice
Astérix	Asterix	Christian Clavier	David Coburn
Portier de banquet	Banquet Doorman	Unknown	David Coburn
Obélix	Obelix	Gérard Depardieu	Dominic Fumusa
Numérobis	Edifis	Jamel Debbouze	Yul Vazquez
Otis		Édouard Baer	David Cowgill
Commandant nazi	Nazi Commandant	Unknown
Vieux Hayseed	Old Hayseed	Unknown
Cléopâtre	Cleopatra	Monica Bellucci	Diane Neal
Jules César	Julius Caesar	Alain Chabat	T. Scott Cunningham
Panoramix	Getafix	Claude Rich	Philip Proctor
Amonbofis	Criminalis	Gérard Darmon	Tom Weiner
Itinéris (Vodafonis)	Cellularservis	Isabelle Nanty	Mary Elizabeth McGlynn
Cartapus	Kittypus	Chantal Lauby	Edie Mirman
Sucettalanis		Marina Foïs	Bridget Hoffman
Caius Céplus	Gluteus Maximus	Dieudonné	Lex Lang
Geôlier	Jailer	Unknown
Centurion de la forêt de Gaule	Gaul Forest Centurion	Unknown
Caius Antivirus	Caius Lucius	Jean-Paul Rouve	Tom Kenny
"Mon mauvais" soldat	"My Bad" Soldier	Unknown	Tom Kenny
Guimieukis	Gimmeakis	Noémie Lenoir	Peggy O'Neal
Le carreleur	Tiler	Zinedine Soualem	Sean McPhillips
Le narrateur	Narrator	Pierre Tchernia	Erik Bergmann

Additional Voices

English cast includes: Matt Adler, Kirk Baily, Steve Cassling, Elisa Gabrielli, Steve Kramer, Matthew Labyorteaux, Jonathan Nichols, and Paul Pape

Additional Actors

Original performer: Michel Elias

Soundtrack

"Mission Cleopatra" performed by Snoop Dogg and Jamel Debbouze
"Asterix and Cleopatra" composed by Philippe Chany
"I Got You (I Feel Good)" by James Brown
"Yakety Sax" by Boots Randolph
"The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)" by John Williams
"Ti amo" performed by Umberto Tozzi and Monica Bellucci
"Chi mai" composed by Ennio Morricone
"Walk Like an Egyptian" featuring Deep Forest and Beverly Jo Scott

Theatrical

Upon its debut in France, the movie was shown on 950 screens, representing the broadest release in the country at that time.

Home Media

In early 2005, the film attracted an audience of 570,000 viewers on UK television, earning the distinction of being the most-watched foreign-language film broadcast there during that timeframe.

Reception

Achieving significant box office success in France, the film sold over 14.5 million tickets, placing it among the highest-grossing French productions ever. Throughout Europe, ticket sales approached nearly 23 million.

Although commercially successful, co-creator Albert Uderzo expressed dissatisfaction with the adaptation’s departure from the original comic’s essence and was critical of Debbouze’s portrayal. This disapproval caused him to decline participation in a proposed live-action version of Asterix in Spain produced by Claude Berri.

External links