Their popularity has been bolstered by a series of big-budget French films, including the latest release, Asterix & Obelix: The Middle Kingdom, which ventured into China.
Despite their success, Asterix and his dim-witted sidekick Obelix have struggled to gain traction in the United States and Britain, where audiences favor Marvel and Disney characters. Celeste Surugue, head of Editions Albert René, noted that Asterix films often find themselves relegated to arthouse cinemas in these markets.
While the duo has a following in Australia and New Zealand, Asia remains a challenge for the potion-swigging heroes. Surugue emphasized that streaming platforms like Netflix can bridge this gap by providing broader access to viewers.
Netflix is set to release a new five-part animated mini-series based on the 1966 book Asterix and the Big Fight in 190 countries, featuring 38 language versions including Mandarin and Arabic. Directed by Alain Chabat, who previously helmed Astérix & Obélix: Mission Cléopâtre - Le Comankonafé , this series aims to capture a global audience.
The new series is set in 50 BC as Asterix and Obelix lead their village against Roman occupation while grappling with the loss of their magic potion recipe. The upcoming 41st Asterix album, Asterix in Lusitania, will also be released in October across 18 languages.
