Pictures from Asterix and Obelix: God Save Brittainia 3-D

Looks like another French live-action Asterix film is in production.

Fouth Asterix film goes into production

Will any of these things ever be released in the states? From Variety:

"Asterix and Obelix: God Save Britannia is the fourth installment in Gaul's biggest French-language franchise of the last decade, both at home and abroad.

The movie adapts Rene Goscinny and Albert Uderzo's "Asterix in Britain," published in 1966, in which Asterix crosses the channel to help British second-cousin Anticlimax face down Julius Caesar and invading Romans.

Gerard Depardieu will reprise his role as Obelix. Fabrice Luchini ("Potiche") will play Caesar. Remaining key cast has yet to be announced.

Asterix memorabilia

Complete list of Asterix books

Click titles to view at Amazon.

Asterix the Gaul

Asterix and the Golden Sickle

Asterix and the Goths

Asterix the Gladiator

Asterix and the Banquet

Asterix and Cleopatra

Asterix and the Big Fight

Asterix in Britain

Asterix and the Normans

Asterix the Legionary

Asterix and the Chieftain's Shield

Asterix at the Olympic Games

Asterix and the Cauldron

Asterix in Spain

Asterix and the Roman Agent

Asterix in Switzerland

Asterix and the Mansions of the Gods

Asterix and the Laurel Wreath

Asterix and the Soothsayer

Asterix in Corsica

Asterix and Caesar's Gift

Asterix and the Great Crossing

Obelix and Co.

Asterix in Belgium

Asterix and the Great Divide

Asterix and the Black Gold

Asterix and Son

Asterix and the Magic Carpet

Asterix and the Secret Weapon

Asterix and Obelix All at Sea

Asterix and the Actress

Asterix and the Class Act

Asterix and the Falling Sky

Asterix at the Olympic Games pictures

Here are some promotional stills from "Asterix and the Olympic Games," out now in Europe:

Why no Asterix films in the U.S.?

Overseas, Asterix is dang near as famous as Mickey Mouse. And, while he hasn't achieved ubiquity here in the United States, you can at least find his comics adventure stories in most decent bookstores.

But have you ever seen an Asterix film? There have been 10 such things, with an 11th just out now in Europe.

More "Asterix and the Vikings" pics

Here are a few more images from the upcoming, overseas animated film:

"Asterix and the Vikings" poster, pics

Here's the German-language posts and a couple of stills from the upcoming "Asterix" 'toon:

Pop Artifact! Obelix figure

Asterix smacks Mickey Mouse

That super-strength potion must work: An Asterix theme park is raking in the dough while Euro Disney struggles, says this report.

Whereas Euro Disney has struggled financially since its launch in the early 1990s despite attracting some 13-million visitors a year from all over the globe, the smaller Asterix park, opened in 1989, has turned in a profit since 1999 and that with a mainly French clientele.

..."We have the advantage of not being too in debt, and also of dealing with completely different volumes," the director of Asterix park, Alain Trouve, told AFP. With its two million visitors a year, 85 percent of which are French, the park registered almost €67-million in turnover in 2004 and again turned in a profit.

Euro Disney on the other hand has already had to restructure its finances twice as it struggles to service a €2.4-billion debt.

Trouve links the Asterix park's success to the Asterix comic book characters who are anchored in French popular culture and a rigorous management of the park which only opens for 160 days a year.

"The idea was to bring the characters on the page alive as well as their spirit. To find the humour, convivality and the strength of the characters and to put that all in a park," he said.

More on Parc Asterix.

Asterix books.