The Twelve Tasks of Asterix facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Twelve Tasks of Asterix
Original theatrical release poster
Directed by	René Goscinny Albert Uderzo Pierre Watrin Henri Gruel
Produced by	Georges Dargaud René Goscinny Albert Uderzo
Screenplay by	Pierre Tchernia René Goscinny Albert Uderzo
Music by	Gérard Calvi
Editing by	René Chaussy Isabel García de Herreros Minouche Gauzins Michèle Neny
Studio	Dargaud Films Les Productions René Goscinny Studios Idefix Halas and Batchelor Cartoon Films
Distributed by	Cinema International Corporation (1976, U.K.)
Release date(s)	20 October 1976 (1976-10-20) (France)
Running time	82 minutes
Country	France Belgium
Language	French English
Money made	9.4 million tickets

The Twelve Tasks of Asterix (also known as Les Douze travaux d'Astérix) is a fun animated movie from 1976. It was made in Belgium and France. The film is based on the super popular Asterix comic books.

The creators of the comics, René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo, wrote the story and directed the movie themselves. They also worked with Pierre Watrin and Pierre Tchernia. This movie is special because it's the only Asterix animated film that uses a special drawing process called Xerography. When it first came out, some people weren't sure about it. But now, many people love it and think it's one of the best Asterix movies ever! It's even become a cult classic, which means it's very popular with a dedicated group of fans.

This film was unique because it wasn't based on an existing comic book story. Instead, it had a brand new adventure for Asterix and Obelix. Later, Albert Uderzo's brother, Marcel Uderzo, turned the movie into a comic book and a series of storybooks for young readers.

The Story of Asterix's Twelve Tasks

The Romans were always trying to defeat the small Gaulish village where Asterix lives. But the Gauls were super strong and always won! Because of this, the Roman leaders started to wonder if the Gauls were actually gods.

Julius Caesar, the Roman leader, didn't believe they were gods. He decided to give them a big test. He met with the Gaulish chief, Vitalstatistix. Caesar said that the Gauls had to complete twelve difficult tasks. These tasks were inspired by the famous Twelve Labours of Hercules from old myths.

If the Gauls finished all twelve tasks, Caesar would give them the entire Roman Empire! But if they failed even one task, they would have to surrender to Rome. The Gauls agreed to the challenge. They chose their two best warriors, Asterix and Obelix, to do the tasks. Caesar sent an honest Roman named Caius Tiddlus to guide them and be the referee.

The First Challenges

• Task 1: The Race. Asterix had to race against Asbestos, a champion runner from the Olympics. Asterix used his smarts to win the race.
• Task 2: The Judo Match. Next, Asterix faced Cilindric the German in a judo match. Asterix outsmarted his opponent and won again.
• Task 3: The Javelin Throw. Obelix had to throw a javelin further than Verses the Persian. Obelix threw it so far, he won easily!

The Isle of Pleasure

• Task 4: The Island of Sirens. Asterix and Obelix had to cross a lake to reach the "Isle of Pleasure." This island was home to beautiful Sirens. The Sirens tried to charm the Gauls with their singing. Asterix and Obelix almost fell under their spell. But Obelix suddenly remembered there were no wild boars to eat on the island! This snapped him out of the trance, and they completed the task.

Tricky Tasks and Big Meals

• Task 5: The Hypnotist. They faced Iris the Egyptian, who could hypnotize people with his gaze. Asterix cleverly made Iris hypnotize himself instead!
• Task 6: The Giant Meal. Obelix had to eat all the food prepared by a Belgian cook named Mannekenpix. Obelix thought it was just the starters, but he ate everything!

The Cave and the Paperwork

• Task 7: The Cave of the Beast. Asterix and Obelix bravely went through the "Cave of the Beast." They survived this scary challenge.
• Task 8: The Permit. This task was to get a special permit from a huge, confusing building. It was full of people who kept sending them to different places. Asterix used their own rules against them. He asked for a made-up permit. The staff got so confused that the Prefect accidentally gave them the real permit they needed!

More Adventures and Ghosts

• Task 9: The Crocodiles. They had to cross a deep ravine full of crocodiles. Instead of using an invisible tightrope, they just beat up the crocodiles!
• Task 10: The Riddle. They met the Old Man of the Mountain, who gave them a riddle. It was disguised as a washing detergent advertisement! They solved it.
• Task 11: The Haunted Plain. They spent a night on a plain that was full of ghosts. Asterix got rid of the ghosts by complaining about their noise. He convinced them to be quiet and leave.

The Final Challenge in Rome

• Task 12: The Circus Maximus. For their last task, Asterix and Obelix went to Rome with their whole village. They had to fight gladiators in the Circus Maximus. They easily beat the gladiators. Then, they turned the arena into a fun, modern-day circus to defeat the animals sent against them.

Having completed all the tasks, Caesar agreed that the Gauls were like gods. He gave them control of the Roman Empire. Caesar then retired to live a peaceful life with Cleopatra. Caius Tiddlus, their guide, also got a reward. He retired to the Isle of Pleasure.

As the village celebrated, Obelix asked Asterix if they really conquered Rome. Asterix explained that it was all just a cartoon, where anything is possible! Obelix then used this cartoon magic to teleport himself and his wild boar meat to the Isle of Pleasure to join Caius Tiddlus.

Main Characters and Voices

Here are some of the main characters and the actors who voiced them in the original French and English versions:

Other Voices in the Film

Many other talented actors lent their voices to the film. In the original French version, these included Caroline Clerc and Odette Laure. For the English version, voices were provided by Paul Bacon, George Baker, and Barbara Mitchell, among others.

Books Based on the Movie

The film The Twelve Tasks of Asterix was so popular that it was turned into books!

• In 1976, Albert Uderzo's brother, Marcel Uderzo, created a special comic book version of the film. This comic book is quite rare and was even translated into English as Asterix Conquers Rome.
• There's also an illustrated storybook that tells the movie's story in text form. This book is easier to find and has been translated into many languages.
• Plus, there are twelve rare illustrated storybooks for young readers, with each book focusing on one of the twelve tasks Asterix and Obelix had to complete.

See also

In Spanish: Las doce pruebas de Astérix para niños