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ASTERIX ET OBELIX: MISSION CLEOPATRE OPENS IN FRANCE JANUARY 30
Asterix et Obelix Mission Cleopatre has opened this week, two years after "Asterix et Obelix Contre Cesar." This time it is directed by Alain Chabat. Some of you may know Chabat as the cuckolded husband in "French Twist" starring Victoria Abril and Josiane Balasko. Not only is he the director of this sequel but Chabat plays Cesar. Interviewed recently on France 2, Chabat states he played Cesar because Monica Belluci stars in the role of "Cleopatre."  One can certainly understand his motivation.  Also featured in the film is Jamal Debbouze...For you "Amelie" fans, Jamal played the sweet fellow who worked for that nasty "greengrocer" in "Amelie."  Then, bien sur, our hero Gérard as well as Christian Clavier reprise their roles. France 2 spotted Bertrand Blier at the premiere.  His "take" on the film..totally "irreverant" and original.

The official website for the film is: http://missioncleopatre.club-internet.fr/site/ Play the pyramid game and watch the various audio and video clips.  There's even one of Gerard singing along to "Un Homme et Une Femme."  Have fun!!

PS. The film is scheduled to open in Montreal in June 2002.
PSS. A+O:MC sold 629,000 tickets on its opening day in France, a record second only to Luc Besson's Taxi 2. It played in 900 theaters! (Source: BBC News online 1 Feb 2002)

NEW PROJECTS AND PROJECT UPDATES
NOW FILMING -- VOLPONE Between January and March, Gérard is in front of the cameras for Frédéric Aubertin's tf1 television adaptation of Ben Johnson's VOLPONE, the satire of a wealthy, debauched, and corrupt Venitian who feigns illness to entrap greedy neighbors. The project is produced by Jean-Pierre Guérin; script by Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt. Daniel Prévost also stars. (Source: tournages-lesite.com)

JUST CAST Gérard has signed on for a new thriller, CRIME SPREE. Other cast members include crooner Johnny Halliday, Renaud (the rock star who starred in GERMINAL with Gérard), and American actors James Caan, Kiefer Sutherland, and Gary Oldman. (Source: Yahoo Cinéma France, 12 Feb 2002.)

Gégé TO PLAY GARBO  No, he won't be in drag! It's a new WWII drama, THE GARBO DECEPTION, based on the story of a scheme to baffle Nazi intelligence by creating a fictitious spy network masterminded by Juan Pujol, aka "Garbo." Bill Wheeler is creating the script. Other stars expected to be on board include Kevin Spacey, John Travolta, Sigourney Weaver, and Emanuelle Beart. (Source: Ananova 8 Jan 2002)

ANCIENT GAUL ENCORE Gérard will portray the legendary Gaulois hero Vercingétorix in IMPERIUM, a six-part television miniseries about the Roman Empire. Vercingétorix organized resistance against the conquering Roman army during the first century BC. He appears in two episodes -- ones that take place during the rule of Julius Ceasar. Filming will commence in Tunis in February 2002. (Source: showbizz.net 28 Jan 2002)

FILMING WRAPS Allocine noted in December that GD just finished work on AIME TON PÈRE and BLANCHE.  Elsewhere in the news, Gérard and the cast of NAPOLEON completed filming in February, 2002, on location in Canada. The made-for-television miniseries, featuring Christian Clavier in the title role, traces the entire life of the soldier-emporer. Gérard is a co-producer of the project and plays the role of Fouché, the Minister of Police. (Source: Cyberpresse.ca, 10 Feb 2002 and showbizz.net, 6 Feb 2002.)

BON VOYAGE Gérard will film yet another WWII era film, portraying a member of the French Resistance. The project is written and directed by Jean-Paul Rappeneau and slated to begin filming in May 2002. Locations include Bordeaux and Paris. Audrey Tautou (Amelie) will play Gérard's mistress. Sophie Marceau was also slated for the filming, but will be replaced by actress Isabel Adjani. The reason: baby on the way. (Sources: Showbizz.net  29 Oct 2001, www.ifrance.com/sophie-marceau, Canoe.ca 3 December 2001, Yahoo Cinema France 27 Feb 2002 .)

NEW VEBER COMEDY Several sources reported in December that Francis Veber is writing a new comedy, title TAIS-TOI, with GD and Jean Reno in mind for the leads. The plot is top secret at this time.

SORTIES
I AM DINA OPENS MARCH 8 IN NORWAY
I AM DINA, the Ole Bornedal film based on the book DINA's BOOK opens in Scandinavia in March.  Teasers, trailers, and press photos are available from the filmsite http://www.iamdina.com/eng/frames/welcome.html

CQ SET FOR MAY 2002 US RELEASE
CQ, a story about an American filmmaker in 1969 Paris who assumes directorship of a low budget Sci-fi movie (set in the year 2000), has been slated for a late May 2002 release in NY and LA. This marks the directorial debut of Roman Coppola. (Source: upcomingmovies.com, 2/02, UnitedArtists.com.)

PRESS NEWS
PARIS MATCH INTERVIEW
The 10 January 2002 issue of PARIS MATCH (France) included a feature article on Gérard by reporter Michel Peyrard. The piece explored Gérard's career, relationships with family and friends (such as sister Helene, son Guillaume, brother-in-law /colleague Patrick Bordier, companion Carole Bouquet, and actor/surrogate father Jean Carmet), business affairs, life after heart surgery, and of course, lots of the Philosophy de Depardieu. There is a grand two-page photo (by Richard Melloul) of Gérard with his son Guillaume on the set of AIME TON PERE, a new film by Jacob Berger in which the two co-star as father and son.

In October 2002, Peyrard was held captive in Afganistan. Gérard penned an article for Paris Match (25 Oct 2001) paying witness to the character of "Mon ami Michel." The journalist, happily, was released in November and completed his portrait of Gérard.