Pooch:
"The first Asterix film raked in over 110 million euros (97 million dollars) worldwide, without it ever being seen in the United States, leading Disney subsidiary Miramax to snap up the American rights to both movies last year. "
Source
http://news.awse.com/01-Feb-2002/Entertainment/7903.htm
97 Million dollars without a US release is pretty good for a French film.
The Film actually took $2.7 Million on its first day in France:
"(PARIS) - "Asterix and Obelix Against Caesar," the most expensive French-language film
ever made, smashed first-day boxoffice records with more than 446,000
admissions when it bowed Wednesday, according to co-producers Renn Prods. The film, which
stars Gerard Depardieu, Christian Clavier and Roberto Benigni,
beat the previous record set by "Corridors of Time" (Visitors II), which attracted 423,000
on its opening day. The French boxoffice is only given in admissions, but
with the average ticket price of about $6, this equates to a gross of some $2.7 million.
The figures will come as a welcome relief to co-producer Claude Berri and
French media group Pathe, which put up the lion's share of the 274 million franc ($49
million) budget through its subsidiaries."
The Hollywood Reporter February 1999
and even EMAP describe 1999 as " a vintage year for French cinema abroad but which relied mostly on the success of Asterix And Obelix Take On Caesar" just 3 months ago in January this year.
And finnaly the Top ten in France in 1999 were:
"Film / Admissions (millions)
1. Asterix and Obelix versus Caesar (France) / 9
2. Tarzan (USA) / 7,9
3. Star Wars: Episode I (USA) / 7,3
4. Matrix (USA) / 4,7
5. Notting Hill (USA) / 4,5
6. The World Is Not Enough (USA) / 3,6
7. A Bug's Life (USA) / 3,2
8. The Mummy (USA) / 3,1
9. Wild Wild West (USA) / 3,1
10. The Messenger (France) / 3
"
with a special reference to "This upsurge in admissions can be partly attributed to the historic triumph of Asterix and Obelix versus Caesar." and "The standout performers of 1999 in movie theaters abroad were Asterix and Obelix versus Caesar, The Dinner Game, Taxi, The Dreamlife of Angels, Romance and Autumn Tale."
all from:
http://www.frenchculture.org
Need I go on? Your figure of 9million worldwide has to be wrong if the boxoffice figure of 9 million in France allone, and for only 1999, is to be believed! While the critics may have trashed this film, it can no be said it was not a success.
Regards
Der Pobman