29/05/2003

Asterix and his inseparable partner, Obelix, can still drum up huge industry attention and interest.
After two live-action hits like Asterix and Obelix against Caesar (1999) and Mission Cleopatra (2002), seen by close on 45 million filmgoers the world over, a third film is planned. However a few problems were caused by the decision by the M6 TV company to inaugurate its M6 Studio with a cartoon entitled Asterix and the Vikings.
Gérard Depardieu and Christian Clavier have agreed to board the third film of the series, which will be produced by Claude Berri and his Pathé Renn Productions. According to international sales arm, Pathé, the cast is likely to include the “Splendid” group (Les Bronzés) featuring Josiane Balasko, Thierry Lhermitte and Michel Blanc.
There is more! The owners of the copyright to these characters (Albert Uderzo, Anne Goscinny and the Albert René Publishing House) are refusing to give the project their blessing and all-important green light.
M6 has been operating in the pre-purchase of films, co-production and distribution fields (through their SND arm) for quite some time and have now set up their animation studio – M6 Studio whose first feature film will be the seventh cartoon based on the characters that Uderzo and Goscinny created, and entitled Asterix and the Vikings. Co-produced with Denmark’s A-Films, this title will have a budget of Euros22m and should be released in 2006.

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(Translated from French)