Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra


Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra is a 2002 fantasy comedy film written and directed by Alain Chabat and adapted from the comic book series Asterix by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo. At the time, it was the most expensive French film ever made. 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.
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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 Cleopatra's usual architect, Pyradonis. He and his secretary Papyris discuss the druid Getafix, 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. Pyradonis realizes he must stop Numerobis from finishing the palace within the deadline by sabotage. 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 and decides to besiege the construction site until Asterix, Obelix and Getafix surrender. Numerobis, Papyris and the three Gauls 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 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.

Cast

Additional Voices

Additional actors

  • Original actor: Michel Elias

Soundtrack

Release

The film had the widest opening in France at the time, opening on 950 screens.

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.

Reception

The film was a huge box office success in France where it sold over 14 559 509 tickets, becoming one of the most successful French films ever. It sold 22 799 038 tickets in Europe overall.
Despite the film's success, it was disliked by Asterix co-creator Albert Uderzo, who thought that Chabat's adaptation was not true to the comic's spirit and did not appreciate Debbouze's performance. This led him to reject the project of a live action adaptation of Asterix in Spain planned by producer Claude Berri.