Les editions Albert René
On 1 October 1979, Albert Uderzo launched a new enterprise. Contrary to the belief of all those who thought that no one could carry on the adventures of Asterix after the death of his accomplice and friend Goscinny, he founded his own publishing house and named it after both of them: Albert René.
Les Editions Albert René had three aims:
- To publish the Asterix the Gaul comic books created by Albert Uderzo since 1980 and re-publish other comic books created with René Goscinny before 1959.
- To initiate new projects: launch comic books, films and cartoons, local and international exhibitions
- To manage the worldwide rights of the Asterix brand by granting licences for spin-off products and advertising including that of the Parc Asterix.
On 12 December 2008, Arnaud Nourry, CEO of Hachette Livre, which was to acquire a major stake in Editions Albert René and take ownership in March 2011, announced: “Hachette Livre’s teams are very proud to be entrusted with this mainstay of popular culture, which transcends countries and generations. I have promised Albert Uderzo and Anne Goscinny that Asterix will still be a star 100 years from now.”
International publishing
It is unclear whether Asterix was first translated into Portuguese or German. But one thing is sure; the method of translating has not changed since 1967. The story is translated into the chosen language and then back-translated into a French version.
Any translations that are deemed too approximate or that fail to put across the puns or word play for the names of the characters will not be accepted!
This method is unique: as a speaker of many languages himself, René Goscinny paid
particular attention to how the works he had created with Albert Uderzo were adapted into various languages.
It is said that the task was so tough, all the translators have gone bald from tearing their hair out! But the result is worth all the effort!
In 2011 the comic strip series of the Adventures of Asterix the Gaul appeared in the Guinness Book of Records as the most translated comic strip series in the world! It appears in 111 languages and dialects (not including pirate translations, of course!)
Humour apparently has no borders: Asterix is a pioneer.
Used as a work of reference for making learning Latin easier, it also exists in Urdu in India, as well as in Frisian and Palatine German in Germany… large countries with tiny areas where certain dialects are spoken.
The world of Asterix reaches all over the globe, as far as China!
The best-selling comic book in the world!
France (and French speaking countries): 145 million
Germany (and German speaking countries): 131 million
Spain (and Spanish speaking countries): 25.5 million
United Kingdom (and English speaking countries): 26 million
Benelux: 21 million
Scandinavia: 13 million
Greece: 7 million
Italy: 6 million
Portugal: 6 million
Brazil: 3 million
Poland: 1.5 million
Animated Films
Asterix has enjoyed over 40 years of success on the big screen with ten animated films..
Ever since they were young, the two authors had dreamt of becoming their local version of Walt Disney!
In 1974, their dream came true when they created Studios Idefix that were to produce The Twelve Tasks of Asterix before closing down.
2014: Asterix: The Land of the Gods was released in over 40 countries.
It was the first 3D Asterix film, opening up a whole new graphic world for the characters. Screenwriter and co-director Alexandre Astier was already a big Asterix fan with a passion for comic books. His co-director Louis Clichy, who had learned the ropes at Pixar, was also an admirer of Albert Uderzo’s work. Backing up the filmmakers was a dream cast (including Roger Carel, Florence Foresti, Laurent Laffite, Lorant Deutsh, and more). The film was a huge hit, drawing over 4 million viewers in France.
Cinema
1968: René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo said: “It would be very difficult to bring our characters to life in flesh and blood. Take Obelix, for example: we would need to find someone measuring 2.5 metres round his middle, we would have to cheat, which would be out of the question!”
1999: First live-action cinema adaptation of the Adventures of Asterix, directed by Claude Zidi. Obelix really exists, Gerard Depardieu is the living proof!
Since then, there have been 5 live action films: 5 worldwide super-productions.
A total of 70 million of views, and translated into more than 50 languages.
Theme park : Parc Astérix
Parc Astérix, which opened in 1989, is the culmination of a wonderful story, the brainchild of Albert Uderzo.
As early as 1981, Albert Uderzo sought to recapture the spirit of his comic strip in a theme park. So he set up a team to come up with some funny and quirky ideas.
THE PARK WAS DESIGNED BY A GROUP OF COLLEAGUES WORKING TOGETHER: Pierre Tchernia who had already worked on writing the albums, Marcel Gotlib (an associate of Pilote), Roger Carel (the voice of Asterix), the actor Gérard Hernandez and Fred, the poet and creator of Philémon.
1989: Parc Astérix opened on 30 April 1989
The original construction work on the park Parc Astérix required over 2 million working hours, over 6,000 workers, 150 companies and 10 different countries!
Today Parc Astérix, France’s second most popular theme park, welcomes 1.8 million visitors per year thanks to the six theme worlds and the fun-packed décor. The 36 attractions and six live shows guarantee a day that’s bursting with fun and excitement! But let’s not forget the staff and their expertise: over 80 different jobs, over 200 permanent staff, and 1,000 seasonal staff.