Asterix and Obelix vs. Caesar
| Company type | Film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment, Film |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Founder | Claude Zidi |
| Successor | Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra (2002) |
| Headquarters | France , France |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Claude Zidi (director) |
| Products | Film adaptation of Astérix comics |
Asterix and Obelix vs. Caesar () is a 1999 comedic fantasy adventure film directed by Claude Zidi. It marks the inaugural live-action entry in the Asterix film franchise, adapted from Goscinny and Uderzo's Astérix comic series. The storyline combines elements from multiple comics, primarily Asterix the Gaul (featuring Getafix’s kidnapping), Asterix and the Soothsayer, Asterix and the Goths (centered on the Druid assembly), Asterix the Legionary (highlighting Obelix’s crush on Panacea), and Asterix the Gladiator (depicting arena battles). Additionally, it incorporates nods to other albums, such as a dialogue between Caesar and Brutus from Asterix and Cleopatra. The antagonist Lucius Detritus draws inspiration from Tullius Detritus in Asterix and the Roman Agent.
At its debut, this production was the priciest French movie of the 20th century, with a budget of FFR 275 million ($48.5 million). It enjoyed commercial success, earning $101.6 million globally, which paved the way for a follow-up in 2002 titled Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra.
Plot
Julius Caesar triumphantly commemorates his conquest of Gaul, unaware that one village remains undefeated. Lucius Detritus discovers that the Gauls’ strength comes from a magical potion. He attempts to eliminate Asterix and Obelix but fails.
A fraudulent soothsayer arrives and tricks villagers into stealing Roman tax gold. Following a defeat of his troops, Caesar demands vengeance. Detritus faces execution unless he can subdue the rebellious village.
Posing as Druids, Detritus kidnaps Panoramix during a Druid gathering. Asterix and Obelix penetrate the Roman camp to rescue him but become separated. While captive, Panoramix refuses to brew the potion until Detritus tortures Dogmatix. Using the potion himself, Detritus imprisons Caesar and takes control, with an unwitting Obelix serving as his bodyguard. Eventually, Obelix helps Asterix, Panoramix, Dogmatix, and Caesar escape.
Caesar joins forces with the Gauls to confront Detritus, who attacks wielding his own magic potion. Panoramix concocts a unique brew that creates multiple copies of Asterix and Obelix, overwhelming Detritus. Caesar is restored to power and grants freedom to the village.
Differences from the books
- Unlike in the comics where the magic potion’s effects last significantly longer—as shown with characters like Caligula Minus and Codfix—the film limits its duration to ten minutes.
- The film’s Detritus character serves as an agent for Caesar resembling figures such as Crismus Bonus or Felonius Caucus from the comics, differing from his original depiction as a manipulative operative in Asterix and the Roman Agent.
- Prolix, the deceptive fortune-teller, is modeled after his namesake in Asterix and the Soothsayer. Whereas he is unmasked in the book, here he escapes with stolen gold and does not return.
- The storyline involving stolen gold is adapted from Asterix and the Cauldron, but diverges as Prolix orchestrates the theft by hypnotizing Asterix in the film; in contrast, the book features a hole dug into Asterix’s hut.
- The appearance of Getafix’s great-grandfather is unique to this movie and does not occur in any of the comics.
- Obelix’s romantic interest in Panacea receives a more earnest treatment in this adaptation compared to its primarily humorous portrayal in the source material.
- The character of Geriatrix’s wife is depicted as fiercely protective in the film, unlike her more casually dominant demeanor over him found in the comic series.
Cast
| Character | Original actor | English voice | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Astérix | Asterix | Christian Clavier | Olaf Wijnants |
| Obélix | Obelix | Gérard Depardieu | Terry Jones |
| Lucius Detritus | Roberto Benigni | John Pirkis | |
| Abraracourcix | Vitalstatistix | Michel Galabru | Douglas Blackwell |
| Panoramix | Getafix | Claude Piéplu | John Baddeley |
| Prolix | Daniel Prévost | Harry Barrowclough | |
| Assurancetourix | Cacofonix | Pierre Palmade | Unknown |
| Falbala | Panacea | Laetitia Casta | Denise Rivera |
| Mme Agecanonix | Mrs. Geriatrix | Arielle Dombasle | Unknown |
| Agecanonix | Geriatrix | Sim | |
| Bonemine | Impedimenta | Marianne Sägebrecht | |
| Jules César | Julius Caesar | Gottfried John | Peter Marinker |
| Caius Bonus | Crismus Bonus | Jean-Pierre Castaldi | Rodney Beddal |
| Cétautomatix | Fulliautomatix | Jean-Roger Milo | Unknown |
| Ordralfabétix | Unhygienix | Jean-Jacques Devaux | |
| Tragicomix | Hardy Krüger Jr. | ||
Soundtrack
The soundtrack was composed by Jean-Jacques Goldman and Roland Romanelli, featuring the following tracks:
- "Elle ne me voit pas" – 4:26
- "Lei non vede me" – 4:26
- "Asterix et Obelix contre César" – 2:20
- "L'Embuscade" – 2:07
- "L'Amour" – 3:52
- "Le Cirque Encore" – 5:15
- "La Serpe D'or" – 4:07
- "Falbala" – 1:48
- "Le Devin" – 2:43
- "L'Amour Toujours" – 3:45
- "Les Hallucinations D'Astérix" – 2:56
- "La Potion Magique" – 3:14
- "Bélenos" – 7:18
- "Obélix" – 3:44
Reception
Upon its release, the movie premiered on an unprecedented 780 screens across France, setting a new record for opening day attendance with 446,724 tickets sold, surpassing the previous record held by The Visitors II: The Corridors of Time. Within the initial five days, it attracted 2.2 million viewers and generated $13.2 million in revenue.
Accolades
- Golden Screen (1999)
- Bogey Award in Silver (1999)
- Bavarian Film Award (2000)
Video game
An action-oriented video game adaptation was developed by Tek 5 and released by Cryo Interactive for both PlayStation and PC platforms.