Η Citroën in collaboration with Pathé, Trésor Films and Editions Albert René, launch their collaboration for the film "Asterix & Obelix: The Middle Kingdom", which will be released in cinemas in Greece on February 2, 2023. This collaboration is unlike any other that Citroën has had, as it included the design and creation of a prototype tank by Citroën, specifically for the needs of this production. Citroën's design teams were involved in this concept from the very beginning and achieved the unthinkable, designing and building the chariot for the film in just 3 months - whereas the timeline for the equivalent process for a prototype car is usually 1 year.
"The meeting between these two legends of French culture could not have been anything less than exceptional, as there was a unique closeness and sincerity, but also a mutual respect between the teams. Citroën and Asterix from the very first moment. We were presented with this incredible opportunity to create and build a prototype tank from scratch and we had an amazing time working on this project! The result is an ode to the 2CV, the legendary car that represents all the greatness of Citroën," says Pierre Leclercq, Global Design Director of Citroën.
Indeed, the 2CV is a car that is part of the French cultural heritage. Its silhouette is recognizable anywhere in the world. The 2CV represents the French way of life for many. In the film "Asterix & Obelix: The Middle Kingdom", the "prototype chariot" is actually a different approach to the 2CV and represents the Gallic way of life. The design teams of the Citroën have reinterpreted the core values that are in the French brand's DNA and have to do with comfort, technology and bold design, adding a special touch to the Asterix film. The result is a prototype chariot with wild boar stomach air intakes, a sunroof, headlights made from Gallic helmets powered by... fireflies enhanced with Druid Panoramix's magic filter and wheels made from recycled shields, incorporating the Citroën emblem.
A PARTNERSHIP UNLIKE ANY OTHER
Both the Citroën, as well as the Asterix, are familiar names rooted in French culture: Η Citroën is an automotive company created by André Citroën in 1919 and the brand has marked the history of the automotive industry from the Traction Avant and 2CV to the CX. Today, Citroën is paving the way for tomorrow's mobility with the anti-car Ami and its most advanced prototype car, the Oli. Asterix is a French comic book series created in 1959 by French writer René Goscinny and French cartoonist Albert Uderzo and first published in the newspaper "Pilote". Albert René Publishing now owns and manages the rights to the Asterix adventures. The success of Asterix is proven by the figures, which show that to date, 385 million albums have been sold, translated into 111 languages worldwide.
To date, the Asterix saga includes 15 films and cartoons, with over 25 million viewers in France and over 70 million worldwide. The new film "Asterix & Obelix: The Middle Kingdom" will be released on February 2, 2023 in cinemas in Greece and a little later in the rest of the world.
