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Asterix: The Secret of the Magic Potion

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Asterix: The Secret of the Magic Potion
French theatrical release poster
Directed byLouis Clichy
Alexandre Astier
Screenplay byAlexandre Astier
Louis Clichy
Story byAlexandre Astier
Based onAsterix
by René Goscinny
Albert Uderzo
Produced byPhilippe Bony
Starring
CinematographyDavid Dulac
Edited byBertrand Maillard
Music byPhilippe Rombi[1]
Production
companies
Distributed bySND Groupe M6
Release date
  • December 5, 2018 (2018-12-05)
Running time
87 minutes
CountryFrance
LanguagesFrench
Latin
Budget€33.7 million[2]
Box office$73.2 million[3][4]

Asterix: The Secret of the Magic Potion (French: Astérix: Le Secret de la Potion Magique) is a 2018 French animated adventure family comedy film co-directed by Alexandre Astier and Louis Clichy.[5] A sequel to 2014's Asterix: The Mansions of the Gods, the screenplay by Astier is based on the Asterix comic book characters created by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo.[6] This is the first Asterix production not to feature Roger Carel as the voice of Asterix, due to his retirement and later death.[7] Asterix is instead voiced by Christian Clavier, who previously played the character in Asterix and Obelix vs. Caesar and Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra.[8]

The film was released in France on 5 December 2018 by SND.[9] Icon Film Distribution released the film's English dub in Australia starting 30 May 2019.[10]

Plot

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In the forest outside the village of indomitable Gauls, the druid Getafix falls from a tree, breaking his foot. Worried about his mortality, he resolves to find a successor to inherit the secret recipe of his magic potion which imbues the user with superhuman strength. He is escorted to a meeting of his fellow druids by Asterix and Obelix, while a creative young village girl named Pectine has stowed away in his cauldron. The meeting is disrupted by Getafix's nemesis, Sulfurix (Demonix in the English dub), who wreaks havoc before being chased away. Getafix then travels throughout Gaul to meet with aspiring young druids in his quest for a successor. He is accompanied by Chief Vitalstatistix and the village's other men, with the exception of Cacofonix, who remains behind with the village women and a reserve supply of magic potion to repel attacks by Roman legionaries.

Sulfurix offers Julius Caesar the chance to secure the recipe and is assisted by Senator Tomcrus, who plots to attack the village until it runs out of potion. Sulfurix recruits the unwitting Teleferix (Cholerix), a promising young druid, and teaches him magic in order to impress Getafix. Asterix uncovers their plot but is captured before he can warn the others. Sulfurix burns down the sacred forest of the druids, while Getafix chooses Teleferix as his successor. News soon reaches the Gauls that Cacofonix and the women have run out of magic potion.

Getafix has Obelix, Pectine and Teleferix help him source most of the ingredients for the potion. However, Sulfurix steals them and freezes Obelix with a spell. Getafix returns home for his reserve ingredients, but finds them squandered by his fellow druids vying to make their own concoctions. Sulfurix orders Teleferix to make the potion, but a key ingredient is missing. Sulfurix inadvertently augments the incomplete mixture with his fire magic, consumes the resultant potion and attacks both the Gauls and the Romans.

Pectine brings the leftover ingredients to Getafix, who instructs her to make the potion and reveals the missing ingredient is a drop of Magic Potion from a previous batch, secretly stored with the handle of his golden sickle. Getafix then battles Sulfurix and is saved by Asterix and Obelix. Sulfurix is punched out of the village, but lands in a puddle of potion that transforms him into a giant. The Romans and the Gauls join forces to combat him and drink the potion made by Pectine. Getafix uses his own magic to form the Roman legionaries into a giant centaur 'robot', which is guided by Obelix and defeats Sulfurix.

With the danger over, the Romans retreat and Getafix advises Teleferix to return home to restart his training. As the Gauls celebrate with a feast, Getafix tells Pectine that she will eventually forget the secret of the magic potion, but the young girl states that she just can't get the recipe out of her head. It is hinted that Getafix may be considering to make Pectine his successor one day if she never forgets.

Voice cast

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Character Original Dub English Dub
Asterix Christian Clavier Ken Kramer[11]
Obelix Guillaume Briat [fr][12] C. Ernst Harth[11]
Getafix Bernard Alane John Innes[11]
Demonix Daniel Mesguich Michael Shepherd[11]
Pectin Lévanah Solomon [fr] Fleur Delahunty[11]
Cholerix Alex Lutz Michael Adamthwaite[11]
Somniferus Alexandre Astier[8] Jason Simpson[11]
Tofungus Elie Semoun[8] Sam Vincent[11]
Atmospherix Gerard Hernandez Alec Willows[11]
Fulliautomatix Lionnel Astier [fr][8] Scott McNeil[11]
Unhygienix François Morel[8] Jason Simpson[11]
Impedimenta Florence Foresti[8] Saffron Henderson[11]
Senator Tomcrus Olivier Saladin Andrew Cownden[11]
Cacofonix Arnaud Léonard [fr][13]
Vitalstatistix Serge Papagalli Don Brown[11]
Bacteria Joëlle Sevilla Saffron Henderson[11]
Humerus Franck Pitiot Michael Adamthwaite[11]
Breadstix Alexandre Astier Jason Simpson[11]
Virgindaikirix Unknown Jason Simpson[11]
Geriatrix Laurent Morteau Ron Halder[11]
Julius Caesar Philippe Morier-Genoud Mark Oliver[11]
Cakemix François Raison Brian Drummond[11]
Phantasmagorix Patrick Bonnel Howard Siegel[11]
Fotovoltahix Nicky Naudé Richard Newman[11]
Cassius Ceramix Patrick Pineau Brian Dobson[11]

Reception

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Box office

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The film was released on 5 December 2018 across France, taking more than $2 million in revenue on the opening Wednesday and close to $7 million through Sunday night.[14]

References

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  1. ^ "Philippe Rombi Scoring 'Asterix: The Secret of the Magic Potion' | Film Music Reporter".
  2. ^ Balle, Catherine (18 March 2019). "Cinéma : le budget moyen des films français en baisse". Le Parisien (in French).
  3. ^ "Astérix: Le secret de la potion magique (2018) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  4. ^ "Asterix: The Secret of the Magic Potion (2019) - International Box Office Results". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  5. ^ AlloCine, Astérix - Le Secret de la Potion Magique, retrieved 1 October 2018
  6. ^ "Astérix - Le Secret de la potion magique". Unifrance. Archived from the original on 16 January 2018. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  7. ^ "Le comédien Roger Carel, la célèbre voix d'Astérix, est mort à 93 ans". telestar.fr (in French). Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Langlois, Caroline (1 June 2018). "Astérix - Le Secret de la potion magique : une affiche officielle pour la suite du Domaine des Dieux". AlloCiné. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  9. ^ Amidi, Amid (13 July 2018). "France's Highly Anticipated 'Asterix: The Secret of the Magic Potion' Launches Trailer". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  10. ^ "Film page on Icon Film Distribution's website". Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x "Lead Asterix: The Secret of the Magic Potion Cast". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  12. ^ "'Astérix : Le Secret de la Potion Magique' se dévoile en images".
  13. ^ Leonard, Arnaud [@FrenchTubas] (13 July 2018). "Voilà. Sinon, y a ça qu'on a fait. AssurancetourixI am. Bisous. https://t.co/zaYCb03HrV" (Tweet) (in French). Archived from the original on 9 May 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2021 – via Twitter.
  14. ^ "'Asterix: The Secret of the Magic Potion': Film Review". Hollywood Reporter. 11 December 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
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