Honestly, looking back at the 2008 release of Asterix at the Olympic Games (or Astérix aux Jeux Olympiques if you’re feeling fancy and French), it feels less like a movie and more like a fever dream fueled by a massive €78 million budget. At the time, it was the most expensive non-English language film ever made. You can see every cent on the screen, but mostly you see it in the faces of a cast so ridiculously famous it almost defies logic.
We aren't just talking about French cinema royalty. We’re talking about a lineup that includes Formula 1 legends, world-class footballers, and NBA stars.
The movie itself? Critics kinda hated it. It’s got a 0% on Rotten Tomatoes (though, let’s be fair, that’s based on a handful of reviews). But for fans of the original Goscinny and Uderzo comics, or just anyone who loves a chaotic spectacle, the Asterix at the Olympic Games cast is a fascinating time capsule of mid-2000s European pop culture.
The Big Three: Asterix, Obelix, and a Very Different Hero
If you grew up with the first two live-action movies, the first thing you notice is that Asterix looks… different.
Clovis Cornillac stepped into the winged helmet, replacing Christian Clavier. It’s a tough gig. Clavier had a specific kind of neurotic energy that defined the character for a decade. Cornillac plays it straighter, almost more athletic, which fits the Olympic theme but lost some of that "little guy with a big temper" charm.
Then there’s Gérard Depardieu as Obelix. Honestly, is there anyone else? Depardieu is the only constant in these films, and by 2008, he had perfected the art of being a lovable, super-powered man-child. He doesn't just play Obelix; he is Obelix. The padding, the pigtails, the way he carries Dogmatix—it’s pure muscle memory at this point.
The real surprise, though, is how much the "main" story doesn't actually focus on them. Instead, a huge chunk of the runtime goes to Stéphane Rousseau as Alafolix (Lovesix in some versions). He’s a lovestruck Gaul who wants to marry Princess Irina, played by the stunning Italian model Vanessa Hessler.
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Their romance is the engine of the plot, but let’s be real: nobody bought a ticket to see a generic love story. They came for the chaos.
Alain Delon and the Art of the Ego
If there is one reason to watch this movie in 2026, it is Alain Delon.
The man is a legend of the French New Wave, the "Ice Cold Angel" himself. In this film, he plays Julius Caesar, and it is one of the most meta, self-aware performances in history. Delon spends half his scenes talking to a mirror, addressing himself in the third person.
"Ave, Moi!" (Hail, Me!)
He’s mocking his own public persona as a high-maintenance icon. It’s brilliant. He’s world-weary, arrogant, and clearly having the time of his life. Compared to the rest of the slapstick cast, Delon brings a weirdly regal gravity that makes the jokes land harder.
On the flip side, you have Benoît Poelvoorde as Brutus. If you haven't seen the Belgian cult classic Man Bites Dog, you might not realize how much range this guy has. Here, he’s a bumbling, treacherous buffoon trying to kill his father (Caesar) with increasingly failed gadgets. He steals almost every scene he’s in, often overshadowing Asterix and Obelix entirely.
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The Cameos: Why Michael Schumacher is in a Chariot
The final act of the movie is basically a "Who's Who" of 2008 sports. It’s the kind of thing that wouldn't happen today because the insurance premiums alone would swallow a small country's GDP.
- Michael Schumacher: He doesn't just show up; he has a full subplot. He plays "Schumix," a chariot racer for the Germanic team. Beside him in the pit stop? Jean Todt, his real-life Ferrari team principal. They even have a "red chariot" pit crew that changes the horses' shoes like they're fitting F1 tires. It’s absurd, and for a racing fan, it’s gold.
- Zinedine Zidane: Zizou appears at the end as "Numérodix," sporting a wig and eyeliner that makes him look like an Egyptian priest. He shows off some ball-handling skills with a ball made of skins. It’s a blink-and-you-miss-it moment that probably cost a fortune.
- Tony Parker: The NBA star shows up as a "basketball" player in the Roman era.
- Amélie Mauresmo: The tennis champion appears as "Amelix," proving that the filmmakers really just called every famous athlete in France's contact list.
Why the Casting Matters for the Movie's Legacy
This movie was a massive gamble. The producers wanted to create a European blockbuster that could compete with Hollywood’s Marvel-style spectacles. To do that, they leaned heavily into the Asterix at the Olympic Games cast as a marketing tool.
The problem? Sometimes the stars get in the way of the story.
The film feels disjointed because it’s constantly pausing to say, "Hey, look, it's a famous person!" However, that’s also its greatest strength. It’s a spectacle in the truest sense of the word. You see Santiago Segura (of Torrente fame) and José Garcia doing high-energy comedy alongside Jean-Pierre Cassel, who played Getafix the druid in one of his final roles.
A Quick Breakdown of the Main Players
| Actor | Role | Why they matter |
|---|---|---|
| Clovis Cornillac | Asterix | The "new" lead who had to fill Christian Clavier's shoes. |
| Gérard Depardieu | Obelix | The heart of the franchise. Literally the only person who could do the role. |
| Alain Delon | Julius Caesar | A cinematic icon mocking himself. The film's highlight. |
| Benoît Poelvoorde | Brutus | The true protagonist (or antagonist) who drives the comedy. |
| Vanessa Hessler | Princess Irina | The "prize" of the games; brought massive international appeal. |
| Franck Dubosc | Cacofonix | The bard who everyone wants to shut up. Perfect casting. |
Is It Worth a Re-Watch?
If you go into this expecting a tight, well-paced comedy, you’re going to be disappointed. It’s nearly two hours long, which is a lifetime for a slapstick comedy.
But if you want to see what happens when a European studio gets a "blank check" and decides to throw a party, it’s fascinating. The production design is incredible. The sets in Alicante, Spain, were massive. The costumes are detailed. And the Asterix at the Olympic Games cast represents a specific moment in time when Europe was trying to prove it could do "big" cinema just as well as the Americans.
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There’s also a level of weirdness you don’t get in Hollywood. There's a scene where Michael "Bully" Herbig (a huge German star) plays a mute Roman soldier whose tongue is literally tied. It’s a very European brand of humor—physical, slightly grotesque, and completely unapologetic.
How to Enjoy This Movie Today
Don't look for deep plot. Look for the details.
Watch for the way Nathan Jones (the giant from Mad Max: Fury Road) carries himself as Humungus. Check out the cameos from Jamal Debbouze, who returns briefly as Numerobis from the far superior Mission Cleopatra.
The movie is a collection of sketches tied together by a chariot race. If you view it as a variety show featuring the biggest stars of 2008, it’s actually a lot of fun. It’s a reminder of a time before everything was a "cinematic universe," when a movie could just be a big, loud, expensive celebration of a beloved comic book.
Next Steps for Asterix Fans:
To get the most out of this era of French cinema, your best bet is to watch Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra (2002) immediately after this one. It features many of the same secondary cast members but with a tighter script. If you're looking for the specific sports cameos, jump straight to the final 20 minutes of Olympic Games—that’s where the "Schumix" and Zidane sequences live. Finally, for a real deep dive, look up the "making of" documentaries for this film; seeing how they built the stadium in Spain is arguably more impressive than the movie itself.