| Asterix: The Secret of the Magic Potion | |
| Director: | Louis Clichy Alexandre Astier |
| Producer: | Philippe Bony |
| Screenplay: | Alexandre Astier Louis Clichy |
| Story: | Alexandre Astier |
| Music: | Philippe Rombi[1] |
| Cinematography: | David Dulac |
| Editing: | Bertrand Maillard |
| Studio: | M6 Group Mikros Image |
| Distributor: | SND Groupe M6 |
| Runtime: | 87 minutes |
| Country: | France |
| Language: | French Latin |
| Budget: | €33.7 million[2] |
| Gross: | $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. A sequel to 2014's , the screenplay by Astier is based on the Asterix comic book characters created by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo.[5] This is the first Asterix production not to feature Roger Carel as the voice of Asterix, due to his retirement and later death.[6] Asterix is instead voiced by Christian Clavier, who previously played the character in Asterix and Obelix vs. Caesar and .[7]
The film was released in France on 5 December 2018 by SND.[8] Icon Film Distribution released the film's English dub in Australia starting 30 May 2019.[9]
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 intend to make Pectine his successor.
| Character | Original | English |
|---|---|---|
| Asterix | Christian Clavier | Ken Kramer[10] |
| Obelix | [11] | C. Ernst Harth |
| Getafix | Bernard Alane | John Innes |
| Demonix | Daniel Mesguich | Michael Shepherd |
| Pectin | Fleur Delahunty | |
| Cholerix | Alex Lutz | Michael Adamthwaite |
| Somniferus | Alexandre Astier | Jason Simpson |
| Tofungus | Elie Semoun | Sam Vincent |
| Atmospherix | Gerard Hernandez | Alec Willows |
| Fulliautomatix | Scott McNeil | |
| Unhygienix | François Morel | Jason Simpson |
| Impedimenta | Florence Foresti | Saffron Henderson |
| Senator Tomcrus | Olivier Saladin | Andrew Cownden |
| Cacofonix | [12] | |
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.[13]