Asterix and Obelix go 3D

Laurent Tirard, best known for the adaptation of another French Classic, Le Petit Nicolas (Little Nicholas, the highest grossing French film in France in 2009) and biopic Molière, will direct God save Britannia, adapted from two of the cult comic books by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo (Asterix in Britain and Asterix and the Normans).
In God save Britannia, Asterix (Baer) and Obelix (Depardieu) must cross the English channel and go to the rescue of their British cousin Anticlimax (Guillaume Gallienne) to save him from the Romans. French actor Edouard Baer is cast as the shrewd blond hero Asterix with screen legend Gerard Depardieu at his side as his larger counterpart, the braided Obelix. Prior to being chosen for the role, Baer starred under Tirard's direction in Mensonges et Trahisons (The Story of My Life), and is also featured among the cast of Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Parronaud's upcoming feature Chicken With Plums. Baer was also seen in the Tirard directed Molière and provided the narrator's voice in Alain Resnais' latest feature Wild Grass (Les Herbes Folles).

Alongside Depardieu and Baer, God save Britannia brings together a cast made up of the biggest stars from around France and Europe. The film will also feature Catherine Deneuve, Dany Boon (Welcome to the Sticks), Guillaume Gallienne (The Concert, Marie Antoinette), Vincent Lacoste (The French Kissers) Valérie Lemercier (Avenue Montaigne, Palais Royal, Friday Night), Fabrice Lucchini (Potiche, The Girl from Monaco), Gérard Jugnot (Paris 36, The Chorus), Jean Rochefort (Tell No One), Bouli Lanners (Mammuth, Asterix at the Olympic Games), up and coming talent Charlotte LeBon, Gotz Otto (Schindler's List, James Bond 007: Tomorrow Never Dies), Luca Zingaretti (La Nostra Vita, My Brother is an Only Child), Filippo Timi (The American, Vincere), and Tristan Ulloa (Open Your Eyes, The Nameless, Salvador (Puig Antich).

The European co-production between France, Spain, Italy and Hungary began shooting in 3D  in Malta before moving to Budapest. Filming will continue in the Hungarian capital through July 20th and then break for two weeks before resuming on the Irish coast and wrapping at the end of September.
God save Britannia is slotted in for a French release on October 17th, 2012 before being rolled out worldwide.