Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra

Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra
Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra
	French theatrical release poster
Directed by	Alain Chabat
Written by	Alain Chabat
Based on	Asterix and Cleopatra; by René Goscinny; Albert Uderzo
Produced by	Claude Berri
Starring	Gérard Depardieu; Christian Clavier; Jamel Debbouze; Monica Bellucci; Claude Rich
Cinematography	Laurent Dailland
Edited by	Stéphane Pereira
Music by	Philippe Chany
Production; companies	Katharina/Renn Productions; TF1 Films Production; Chez Wam
Distributed by	Pathé Distribution (France, United Kingdom and Switzerland); Miramax Films (Select territories; through Buena Vista International)
Release dates	30 January 2002 (France); 18 October 2002 (Britain); 11 October 2006 (Australia);
Running time	107 min.
Countries	France; Germany
Languages	French; Arabic; Cantonese; Latin; German
Budget	$54.4 million (€50 million)
Box office	$128 million

Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra (French: Astérix et Obélix : Mission Cléopâtre) is a 2002 French-German fantasy comedy film written and directed by Alain Chabat and adapted from the comic book series Asterix by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo. It was the most expensive French film of the time.^[3] A critical success, it was also a major box office success in France, becoming its most successful film in 36 years and second biggest commercial success of all time after 1966's La Grande Vadrouille.

Based on the 1965 book Asterix and Cleopatra, which had previously been adapted into a 1968 animated film, it is the second installment in the Asterix film series. Christian Clavier and Gérard Depardieu reprise their roles as Asterix and Obelix, alongside newcomers Jamel Debbouze, Monica Bellucci, Claude Rich, Gérard Darmon, Édouard Baer, Dieudonné, as well as Chabat himself. It is a sequel to Asterix and Obelix vs. Caesar (1999).

Plot

Infuriated by belittlements, Queen Cleopatra makes a deal with Julius Caesar. If the Egyptians built a palace at Alexandria in three months, which is larger than Caesar's palace in Rome, he must acknowledge that Egypt was the greatest of nations. To perform this task, Cleopatra hires the architect Numerobis, on pain of death and much to the dismay of Pyradonis, Cleopatra's customary architect. He and his secretary Papyris discuss the druid Getafix (Panoramix in the original French), whose potion empowers its drinkers; and Numerobis goes in search of him.

Numerobis arrives in Gaul and persuades Getafix to embark with him to Alexandria. Once they arrive, they use the druid's magic potion to speed up the construction (with Cleopatra's permission). Pyradonis realizes he must stop Numerobis from finishing the palace within the deadline by sabotage (such as getting Asterix, Obelix and Getafix lost in a pyramid, or framing them for Cleopatra's failed assassination). After failing multiple times, Pyradonis finally decides to inform Caesar about the potion's use and the potential victory of Cleopatra. Caesar knows the Gauls (having failed to capture their village multiple times) and decides to besiege the construction site until Asterix, Obelix and Getafix surrender. Numerobis, Papyris and the three Gallics defend the site and decide to inform Cleopatra of Caesar's actions. Meanwhile, Pyradonis and Numerobis, after drinking the potion, fight in the site until Numerobis finally wins the duel. Cleopatra arrives on the battlefield and reprimands Caesar's lack of sportsmanship. The Romans are forced to stop the siege and assist in continuing the construction, which is finished on time. The palace is inaugurated, and Caesar counter willingly names Egypt the greatest Empire there ever was. Numerobis wins a large amount of gold, Getafix receives manuscripts from the Library of Alexandria, and all the protagonists partake in a banquet (including some of the movie's Roman antagonists).

Cast

Character	Actor name
Asterix	Christian Clavier
Obelix	Gérard Depardieu
Numerobis / Edifis	Jamel Debbouze
Otis	Édouard Baer
Cleopatra	Monica Bellucci
Nexusis	Edouard Montoute
Julius Caesar	Alain Chabat
Getafix	Claude Rich
Amonbofis / Criminalis	Gérard Darmon
Itinéris (Vodafonis)	Isabelle Nanty
Cartapus	Chantal Lauby
Sucettalanis	Marina Foïs
Caius Céplus	Dieudonné
Caius Antivirus	Jean-Paul Rouve
Redbeard	Bernard Farcy
Chamandra	Noémie Lenoir
The taster	Dominique Besnehard
Caesar's secretary	Emma de Caunes
The tiler	Zinedine Soualem
Narrator	Pierre Tchernia

Additional Actors

Jean Benguigi (Crustaceous)
Michel Elias
Sophie Noël (Redbeard's Daughter)

Voice cast

Character	United Kingdom	United States
Asterix	David Coburn
Banquet Doorman	David Coburn
Obelix	Dominic Fumusa
Edifis	Yul Vazquez
Otis	David Cowgill
Cleopatra	Diane Neal
Julius Caesar	T. Scott Cunningham
Getafix	Philip Proctor
Amonbofis	Tom Weiner
Cellularservis	Mary Elizabeth McGlynn
Kittypus	Edie Mirman
Handmaiden	Bridget Hoffman
Gluteus Maximus	Lex Lang
Caius Lucius	Tom Kenny
Gimmeakis	Peggy O'Neal
Tiler	Sean McPhillips
Narrator	Erik Bergmann

Additional UK/US Voices

Matt Adler
Stephen Apostolina (Hutchus, "Superpower" Soldier #2, Flying thru Intersection Soldier)
Kirk Baily
Steve Blum (Starskyus, "Superpower" Soldier #1)
Steve Bulen (Documentary Narrator, Catapult Commander, Slave Driver with Horn)
Steve Cassling
David Cowgill (Nazi Commandant, Old Hayseed)
Dan Edelstein (Roman on Horseback)
Elisa Gabrielli
Jason Harris Katz (Young Hayseed, Cat)
Tom Kenny ("My Bad" Soldier)
Steve Kramer
Lex Lang (Jailer, Gaul Forest Centurion)
Matthew Labyorteaux
Jonathan Nichols
Paul Pape
Philip Proctor (Peg Leg)
Stuart Robinson (Roman Drill Instructor, Crow's Nest Lookout, Sculptor)
Lia Sargent (Bloody Beard's Daughter)
Michael Sorich (Cleopatra's Portraitist, Bribed Boatman)
Barry Stigler (Crustaceous)

Music

Soundtrack

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

Release

Theatrical

The film had the widest opening in France at the time, opening on 950 screens.^[5]

Home media

In the United Kingdom, it was watched by 570,000 viewers on television during the first half of 2005, making it the most-watched foreign-language film on UK television during that period.^[6]

References

^ "Miramax stamps 'Asterix' passport". Variety. 31 May 2001. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
^ "Asterix and Obelix: Mission Cleopatra (2001)". UniFrance. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
^ ^a ^b Mandelbaum, Jacques (29 January 2002). "'Astérix et Obélix: mission Cléopâtre': la magie gauloise des duos antagonistes" ['Asterix and Obelix: Cleopatra mission': the Gallic magic of antagonistic duos]. Le Monde (in French). Archived from the original on 12 September 2023. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
^ "Asterix et Obelix: Mission Cleopatra (2002)". Box Office Mojo. 7 June 2002. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
^ James, Alison (24 December 2001). "Homegrown pix gain in Europe". Variety. p. 7.
^ "4. Film on UK Television in the First Half of 2005". Research and Statistics Bulletin. 3 (1). British Film Institute, UK Film Council: 20-34 (26-7). September 2005. Retrieved 21 April 2022 – via Yumpu.