Asterix at the Olympic Games (film) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Astérix aux Jeux olympiques |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Screenplay by |
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| Starring |
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| Music by | Frédéric Talgorn |
| Cinematography | Thierry Arbogast |
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| Distributed by | Pathé Distribution |
| Release date(s) | 13 January 2008 (Paris premiere) 25 January 2008 (Poland) 30 January 2008 |
| Running time | 117 minutes |
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| Language | French |
| Budget | $113.5 million |
| Money made | $133 million |
Asterix at the Olympic Games (also known as Astérix aux Jeux olympiques in French) is a fun fantasy comedy film from 2008. It was directed by Frédéric Forestier and Thomas Langmann. The movie is based on the famous Astérix comic books by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo. It was filmed mostly in Spain in 2006.
When it came out, this movie was one of the most expensive French films ever made! Even though some critics didn't like it much, it was very popular in countries like Poland, Spain, and France.
Contents
What's the Story?
The film follows the brave Gaulish heroes, Astérix and Obélix. They need to win the Olympic Games to help their friend, Lovesix (Stéphane Rousseau). Lovesix wants to marry the beautiful Princess Irina (Vanessa Hessler).
But there's a sneaky villain, Brutus (Benoît Poelvoorde). He tries every trick to make his own team win the games. Brutus also wants to get rid of his father, Julius Caesar (Alain Delon).
How it Compares to the Comic
This movie is a bit different from the original Asterix at the Olympic Games comic book. For example, the love story between Lovesix and Irina was added for the film. It wasn't in the comic.
Also, Brutus is the main bad guy in the movie. He's shown as a funny villain. But in the original comic book, Brutus wasn't even a character!
Who's in the Movie?
- Gérard Depardieu as Obélix
- Clovis Cornillac as Astérix
- Benoît Poelvoorde as Brutus
- Jean-Pierre Cassel as the Druid Panoramix
- Alain Delon as Julius Caesar
- Bouli Lanners as Samagas
- Jean-Pierre Castaldi as Castaldus
- Dorothée Jemma as Bonemine
- Santiago Segura as Docteurmabus
- Vanessa Hessler as Princess Irina
- Stéphane Rousseau as Lovesix
- José Garcia as Couverdepus
- Vincent Moscato as Goth
Famous Faces and Cameos
The film also features some special guest appearances, called "cameos." For example, model Adriana Karembeu plays Mrs Geriatrix. Jamel Debbouze also returns as Numerobis.
You might spot German comedy star Michael Bully Herbig as a quiet Roman soldier. Italian actor Enrico Brignano appears as a reporter.
Many real-life sports stars also made cameos! These include Michael Schumacher, Jean Todt, Zinedine Zidane, Tony Parker, and Amélie Mauresmo. The role of Roman athlete Claudius Cornedurus (Gluteus Maximus) was played by Jérôme Le Banner. This part was first planned for Jean-Claude Van Damme.
Movie Success
The film made a lot of money, especially in Europe. In its first weekend, it earned $23.4 million in France alone. This was more than 60% of all the money it made in 19 different countries!
Within a week of its release, the movie had made about $38.7 million in total. This shows it was quite popular with audiences.
See also
In Spanish: Astérix en los Juegos Olímpicos (película) para niños
