The Adventures of Spirou and Fantasio (Les Aventures de Spirou et Fantasio in French) is a 2018 live-action adventure/comedy film based on the Franco-Belgian Comics series Spirou & Fantasio (the André Franquin era of it, more preciselynote ), directed by Alexandre Coffre.
Spirou (Thomas Solivérès), a thief disguised as a bellboy, meets Fantasio (Alex Lutz), a journalist that been losing momentum. They have to work as a team, when Count Pacôme de Champignac (Christian Clavier) is kidnapped by Mad Scientist Zorglub (Ramzy Bedia). Between Europe and Africa, the two men will search for the eccentric inventor, helped by Seccotine (Géraldine Nakache), Fantasio's rival, and the squirrel Spip.
Despite the Shared Universe of the Franquin comics, it has no ties to either HOUBA! On the Trail of the Marsupilami or Gaston Lagaffe (which aren't connected either).
The adventures of Spirou and Fantasio contains examples of:
- Adaptational Context Change: In the comic book, zorglwaves and the Fantacopter were respectively Zorglub and Fantasio inventions. Here, they're both attributed to the Count of Champignac. Zorglub needs Champignac's help to make the waves actually work after he stole him the formula, and that's why he kidnap him. And the Fantacopter becomes the Champicopter for that reason.
- Adaptational Diversity: Zorglub recruited only white men as Zorglmen in the comics, but here, people who work for him also include women (notably his dragon Marie) and persons of color.
- Adaptational Dye-Job: The usually blonde Seccotine is now a brunette. When the group cross the desert, she also drop her iconic ponytail.
- Adaptational Explanation: Why Spirou usually wears a bellboy outfit despite not being one is never really explained in the comic. Here, it's because he needed it to infiltrate an hotel in the first place, then did not have the occasion to change clothes throughout the whole story.
- Adaptation-Induced Plot Hole: In the original story, Zorglub forces the Zorglmen to speak backwards in order that witnesses do not understand them, but the readers still could. Here, Zorglub sometimes speak backwards as a form of a Verbal Tic when he's nervous, and it's transmitted to Zorglmen for some reason.
- Adaptational Jerkass: Pretty much everyone, but the most changed character is Spirou, who is now a pickpocket who posed as a bellboy in order to infiltrate a luxury hotel and steal the guests's jewelry.
- Adaptation Relationship Overhaul:
- Champignac and Zorglub used to be co-workers in the comics, but as Zorglub always looked younger anyway, he ends up having been Champignac's assistant.
- Seccotine used to know the Count through Spirou and Fantasio. There, it's hinted she knows him since childhood through her mother. The latter is stated to live in Champignac's castle, thus it can be supposed she's the Count housekeeper. And maybe more than that according to some Double Entendre comments by the Count.
- Adaptational Wimp: In nearly all albums, Spirou and Fantasio get caught at least once in a hand-to-hand combat with villains (and usually win). The first is even a boxing expert. Here, Spirou is the only one who could eventually have the occasion to fight, and he prefers to run away (in front of Gantagwa's policemen). When confronted to Marie, he simply throw suitcases at her (albeit it can be because of a Wouldn't Hit a Girl case). She clearly have the upper hand anyway, and it's Spip, of all people, who win the brawl. Later on, when facing Zorglub, the later have no difficulties to simply throw away Spirou like a rag doll.
- Age Lift: Spirou and Fantasio are usually around the same age, but here Fantasio is the oldest by about 10 years. Similarly, Zorglub and the Count were co-workers and of the same generation. But here, Zorglub is the youngest, as he was the Count assistant.
- Ambiguous Time Period: Intentionally. According to the director, the movie shall remain of the 60's, when the comics raised in popularity. As a result, clothing, vehicles, and some devices such as headphones, mostly look from The New '10s. There is even a justification to explain why Fantasio ends in a 60's costume. But, at the same time, all hotels dress their bellhop workers in costumes no longer in use since the The '40s. Plus no one seem to possess a cell phone, despite they would be often quite handy, notably in the desert.
- And the Adventure Continues: In the last scene, Fantasio and Seccotine pick Spirou at the hotel where he is a (actual) bellboy, after they hear of a potential scoop. Spirou drop everything to follow them.
- Aw, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other: Fantasio and Seccotine argue often, and yet show some real concern from time to time. In two separated scenes, one of them is subjected to a death threat: Fantasio is stuck in a car about to explose and a Brainwashed Seccotine walks straight to a Lava Pit. Both frantically try to save the other one despite Teddy, the guide, and Spirou respectively told them it was too dangerous.
- Bad Boss: In his introduction scene alone, Zorglub sacrifice a henchman to his malfunctioning Zorglwaves. Then he send in a Lava Pit, through a Trap Door, half of his scientists squad due to the failure of the experiment. Oh, and another minion as well, because he misspelled his name.
- Beard of Evil: Zorglub has prominent mutton chops.
- Becoming the Mask: Spirou posed at first as a bellboy with a stolen uniform, and defined the job as being a lackey. The last scene show him being hired as an actual, and apparently skilled bellboy in the very same hotel of the beginning. Until he decides that he had rather be an adventurer anyway, and flee the hotel.
- Belligerent Sexual Tension: Fantasio and Seccotine are in a rivalry that they present as strictly professional, but no one is fooled. They finally get a Relationship Upgrade in the last scenes.
- Bond Villain Stupidity: The Mooks and scientists hired by Zorglub help him to create the zorglwaves, then spread them on the whole world while only Zorglub will be protected from the waves with a special headband. No one see anything wrong with that. The only exceptions are Claude and Marie who realize what this means at the last minute, and run away, but this is futile as distance don't change anything to Zorglwaves 's influence.
- The Cameo: Monsieur Poulpe
, a youtuber who play the part of a sweeper henchman in the very first scene. - Canon Foreigner: Claude and Marie, the Half-Identical Twins who are Co-Dragons to Zorglub.
- Chewing the Scenery: Ramzy Bedia as Zorglub, big time. Complete with Evil Laugh.
- Clothes Make the Legend:
- The opening credits show the making of Spirou's red uniform. Then, he steal it in his first scene without viewers can see what he wore before. Spirou needed to infiltrate the hotel, and does not have the occasion to change his clothes throughout the course of the movie, explaining why he wears a bellboy's uniform despite he's not one. At least until the last scene, where he actually has been hired as one.
- Fantasio's 60's looking red bow tie and blue jacket seemed very old fashioned in The New '10s, explaining he arrives at the hotel in a more modern outfit. But Spirou immediately ruins it with coffee. The luxury hotel staff then lend him other clothes that are this Iconic Outfit (presumably, they had it in their wardrobe since the last fifty years). Fantasio does not have the occasion to change clothes later, explaining his outfit.
- Convenient Decoy Cat: Or rather convenient decoy squirrel. Zorglub suspect the Count of Champignac of trying to run away from the hotel in a laundry tray after he noticed the contents moved, but it's Spip he find in it, and walk away-not realizing Champignac was really indeed inside.
- Crazy Jealous Guy: Fantasio is certain -despite her denial- that Seccotine has an affair with Zantafio, is not happy to see her with Teddy despite he's simply a guide she hired, and is even offended to see her hugging Spirou in Zorglub's dungeon. note Let's say that this behavior makes clear how Fantasio actually feels about her.
- To be fair, Seccotine herself sometimes provoke this. Notably when she let Fantasio be mistaken on the identity of the person who wait for her in a hotel room (Champignac, but he thinks it's Zantafio.) Or posing as a flight attendant in an airport, and assuring she don't know what Fantasio is talking about when he accuses her to be actually a reporter. Then Seccotine announces, loud enough for him to hear her, that she brought her "smallest bikini" with her.
- Crossing the Desert: Spirou, Fantasio and Seccotine end up in a desert without a vehicle, food, and barely any water. If they never reached an oasis, this could have ended quite badly.
- Damsel in Distress: In comics, Seccotine used to avert this. The only time she was ever captured was in Adventures down under, along with Fantasio, and they soon managed to escape. Here she is immobilized three times by zorglwaves (despite never being confronted to them in the original) and kidnapped two times straight afterwards, needing guys to get out of the situation.
- Deadpan Snarker: The Count once lampshaded that the need of Zorglub to make his henchmen shout his Overly Long Name at every entrance certainly hide an inferiority complex.
- Depraved Dentist: How Zorglub try to make the Count of Champignac talk: torture him in a dentistry act. But he only manage to hurt himself.
- Dressing as the Enemy: After they escaped their dungeon, Spirou and Fantasio respectively dress as a scientist and a henchman.
- Escape Artist: After he's been handcuffed with Fantasio, Spirou needs exactly 30 seconds to free both of them, then chain together with the same pair of handcuffs the policemen who arrested them instead.
- Evil Overlooker: A variant: Zorglub watches the audience instead of the heroes on the poster despite his typical Floating Head Syndrome. This was carried on the cover of the tie-in comics, ''Le triomphe de Zorglub.''
- Facepalm: Claude and Marie when they realize that Seccotine is still alive despite they shoot her car with a bazooka.
- Fake Defector: Seccotine apparently betrays Spirou and Fantasio in order to get an exclusive interview with Zorglub. However, her actual goal was to infiltrate his base. She did not revealed the trick to Fantasio due to his tendency to not believe her.
- A Friend in Need: After a Plot-Mandated Friendship Failure, Spirou walks away and Fantasio protests that he won't let his friends down. Spirou snarks that he did not knew they were friends. However, a few scenes later, Fantasio is stuck in an accidented car about to explode. Despite the danger, Spirou help him to escape while stating that he won't let his friends down.
- The Full Name Adventures: "The Adventures of Spirou and Fantasio".
- The Ghost: Zantafio, Fantasio's evil cousin, is alluded to many times. He's apparently a TV anchorman, and Fantasio believes Seccotine gave him one of his scoops and that they had an affair. He seems in general to have made Fantasio's life a misery.
- Harmless Villain: Zorglub is usually hilariously ineffective.
- He Is Not My Boyfriend: When Fantasio manage to join Seccotine and her guide, Teddy, in the desert, the later, puzzled, ask if Fantasio is her fiance. She answers with exasperation: "Certainly not!"
- Hoist by His Own Petard: Zorglub end Brainwashed by his zorglwaves and is nearly killed by them.
- Hollywood Mirage: The heroes bump into an assortment of them during the Crossing the Desert scene. Seccotine even confuse Spip with a flask made of fur.
- Joker Immunity: The Stinger reveal that Zorglub survived his fall into the Lava Pit, and laboriously emerge from the Trap Door.
- Just Between You and Me: Defied. A scientist ask Zorglub if he'll make a speech before turning Champignac and Seccotine into zorglmen, but he answers he won't.
- Killer Rabbit: At the airport, Spirou find Spip in a transportation box and throw him to Marie, who's after him. The latter is initially amused by Spip's cute appearance, but the squirrel start to bite her face ferociously.
- I Have Your Wife: A variant. Zorglub notice that threatening Count of Champignac is useless as he just won't reveal the zorglwaves formula. Instead, he decide to torture Seccotine with his instruments of dentistry. As Champignac have a fatherly affection for her, he choose to talk.
- "I Know You're in There Somewhere" Fight: Fantasio tries vainly to stop Seccotine to plunge into lava when she's brainwashed, but she just immobilize him on Zorglub's order.
- I'm Standing Right Here:
- Spirou met Fantasio while running away from the hotel while the latter want to get in. Their opposing moves block the revolving doors of the building. Spirou complains "What an idiot!", and Fantasio warns him he heard this.
- After the He Is Not My Boyfriend response of Seccotine, Fantasio protests that he heard her.
- In the desert, Seccotine, exhausted, describe an Hollywood Mirage of a fountain and say she's ready to share its water with Fantasio, but not Spirou. Why? He's "too red haired". Spirou reminds her he's standing right here.
- Irony: After the airport police has arrested and handcuffed together Fantasio and Spirou, the latter warn him he will never see him again after all this. Very unlikely for a 70 years old duo.
- Lampshade Hanging: Marie, while after Spirou, once snark him and his "ridiculous red uniform", emphasizing how out of place it can look.
- Like an Old Married Couple: Spirou and Fantasio, Seccotine and Fantasio, and Claude and Marie, are as many duos who tend to quarrel often.
- Longing Look: While Fantasio watches Seccotine swimming in a pond, Spirou identifies his look as the one of "a man in love".
- Moment Killer: In Zorglub's lair, Fantasio admits to Seccotine he's been stupid to not believe her. Moved, she assures he has been stupid, yet cute…And brutally, Spirou has to remind them that Zorglub's Mooks are coming.
- Mythology Gag:
- One of the very first sentences said by Spirou, "At your service", was also his first in the original strip by Rob-Vel.
- Blink and you miss it, but in the hotel corridor, a poster announce dedications by Kodo le tyran ("Kodo the Tyrant"), from a 1979 comics of the same name.
- In the airport, the newspaper that Spirou and Fantasio use to hide behind, title that a Mesozoic traveler has find a dinosaur egg on an ice field. In the album Le Voyageur du Mésozoïque ("The Mesozoic traveler") the count of Champignac bring back a dinosaur's egg from Antarctica.
- Still at the airport, there is an announcement in loudspeakers for passenger Itoh Kata. The latter is a Japanese illusionist and an Escape Artist present in several albums. Ironically, his name is heard while Spirou himself just used skills worthy of Itoh.
- Spirou once remark that the Champicopter should have a better name, and Fantasio suggest the Fantacopter. It was the name of the device in the comics, due to Fantasio being the original inventor.
- The original authors would often use Symbol Swearing due to the heavy censorship in publications aimed at children then. In the movie, one scene homages this, as the insults Fantasio uses to describe his cousin are covered instead by Sound-Effect Bleep from the plane he's in. This does not prevent others profanities in the dialogues to be heard, though.
- Spirou announce twice he shall change of clothes, but Fantasio forbids him to each time. It illustrate the paradox of the different writers, who either ignore the lack of realism of Spirou being in his bellboy uniform on a daily basis, or acknowledge this by putting him in a civilian version instead◊.
- The vehicle Fantasio and Seccotine arrive in during the last scene is the Turbotraction◊.
- In the last scene, a guest of the hotel is reading the "Moustique", the actual name of the newspaper Fantasio and Seccotine work for. The title of the article relating Zorglub's demise is titled Z comme Zorglub ("Z is for Zorglub"), how the album he appeared in was named. The titles of others articles are also those of previous albums such as L'Homme qui ne voulait pas mourir ("The man who did not want to die") and Tora Torapa. Not to mention an article reporting that Zantafio been fired.
- Named by the Adaptation: Zorglub is usually only known as such, without precision if it is a first or last name. Here it's his first name, and Banovitchoskinovakoff his last name.
- Never Trust a Trailer: No trailers showed the actual reason why (Greed, as he thinks the Count have a mushroom worth millions) Spirou suddenly run after the kidnapped Champignac, risking his life in the process (he uses an experimental Jet Pack with no landing button). For viewers familiar with the comics, it can be put down to his Chronic Hero Syndrome. The original Spirou could totally try to rescue an innocent person (including a perfect stranger) just because it was the right thing to do. To those viewers, discovering the actual Only in It for the Money Spirou's motivation in the movie could be an unpleasant surprise.
- No, Mr. Bond, I Expect You to Dine: Zorglub first try to be affable with Champignac, by receiving him for lunch. But it does not encourage the later to reveal how his waves work, though.
- Noodle Incident: Seccotine display colored stains on her chest, due to a failed experience of the Count of Champignac. What it was, why it never vanished and for how long she have it (apparently since her childhood) is not explained.
- Not-So-Harmless Villain: Zorglub stay laughable as long as he can't make zorglwaves function properly. But it's another deal as soon as he can make anyone obey.
- Oh, Crap!: Zorglub, when he notices that Spirou has just stolen his anti zorglwaves device, seconds before they are released on the whole earth. Cue to his Big "NO!".
- Origins Episode: The film choose to explain how the team of heroes was constituted. None are adventurers yet, Fantasio and Spirou met each other, then Champignac, for the first time. They become Zorglub's enemies, and Spirou find and adopt Spip.
- Pajama-Clad Hero: The Count is kidnapped in his dressing gown and slippers, and stay in these during all the movie.
- Parental Abandonment: The Count of Champignac quickly deduce that Spirou never knew parental authority when they met. Later, Fantasio ask Spirou what his parents think of him being a pickpocket, and the later stay suspiciously silent, suggesting a Dark and Troubled Past.note
- Promoted to Love Interest: Downplayed as in the comics and animated adaptations, Seccotine already has Ship Tease with Fantasio, usually under the prism of Belligerent Sexual Tensionnote . But, Depending on the Writer, Seccotine has the same amount of Ship Tease with Spirou (and Fantasio with others women). This version is the first that make them an Official Couple in the end.
- Purple Is Powerful: Purple is the color of Zorglub's suits, his lair, and the zorglwaves. Certainly to match his A God Am I mentality.
- Race Lift: Zorglub and Seccotine are white Europeans in the comics. Here they're portrayed by two actors of North African descent, Ramzy Bedia (Algerian Kabyle, more precisely) and Géraldine Nakache (Algerian Jewish).
- Real Joke Name: Spirou once reveal that this name is a nickname, and ask Fantasio what his real name is. The latter awkwardly reveal that Fantasio is his actual name.
- Ruder and Cruder: The original story used Symbol Swearing or Calling Me a Logarithm and was chaste to stay kid friendly. Here, and apart from a Sound-Effect Bleep, profanities are used in dialogues without filter. Also, the Count of Champignac speak of Seccotine's mother in terms that let suppose that they are quite intimate. Seccotine herself is used to tease Fantasio by describing Zantafio Ready for Lovemaking for her in a hotel room, or speaking about her Barely-There Swimwear.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Teddy, the guide hired by Seccotine, brutally abandon her with Spirou and Fantasio in the desert, calling them "fools". Without a vehicle, nor provisions, which is borderline criminal.
- Shipper on Deck: Spirou, big time, for Fantasio and Seccotine. First he smiles when Seccotine hugs Fantasio, relieved that he survived a car accident. And after Spirou has noticed Fantasio Longing Look at Seccotine in the desert, he advice Fantasio to talk to her. Later in the villains's lair, everyone but Spirou is frozen by the zorglwaves. Spirou take advantage of the situation by putting Fantasio and Seccotine in position to kiss, before he reverse the effects of the waves. Fantasio and Seccotine are initially surprised when they defroze, but blissfully indulge in the kiss immediately after.
- "Shut Up" Kiss: In the situation described above, Fantasio start to awkwardly explain to Seccotine he did not exceed her consent, but they were under the influence of the waves when they came back to their senses. Seccotine answer is a "Shut Up" Kiss, making clear she's not mad at him.
- Sibling Rivalry: Claude and Marie, the twins that are the right hand man and woman to Zorglub, bicker constantly for little to no reason.
- Slower Than a Snail: One of Champignac 's formula have this effect, and he test it on Spirou right when they met. That's the reason why the latter can't intervene when Claude and Marie enter the Count room moments later, to kidnap him.
- Sticky Fingers: Spirou, to the point Fantasio once realize that the latters's wallet is actually his.This becomes handy in the end, where Spirou can take his anti zorglwaves headband to Zorglub, without the latter notices.
- Suspiciously Specific Denial: When Fantasio describe the supposed relationship between Seccotine and Zantafio, Spirou tease that Fantasio sound jealous and is "stuck" on the girl. Fantasio assures that he don't care, and that his only point of contention with Seccotine lies in the fact that she stole one of his scoops and gave it to his cousin.
- Throw the Dog a Bone: On a meta level. In the original stories, Fantasio usually can't catch a break, and he can't here either. That's why the fact he gets the girl in the end can be seen as this.
- Tie-In Novel: Or rather tie in comics, under the form of Recursive Canon. In Le triomphe de Zorglub ("Zorglub's triumph"), Spirou, Fantasio and Seccotine are involved in the shooting of a movie about them. Apparently the same described here, as Seccotine discovers that the actress playing her is dark-haired. And the real Spirou is horrified◊ to read in the script that he's been made a pickpocket. (Due to the bad boys appeal, according to Fantasio.)
- Trap Door: Zorglub has one in his lair, that open directly on a Lava Pit (given it's a Volcano Lair). He can open it by a pressure on the knob of his cane, and send here any of his henchman he's not happy of. In the end, he tries to send here Champignac and Seccotine, but he's finally the one who'll fall through it.
- Truer to the Text: When it comes to costumes. Spirou's uniform was problematic as he stopped working as a bellboy since The '40s.note In the previous animated adaptations, like he did for the last forty years in the comics, he wore civilian clothes◊ in shades of red instead. But the movie plays straight his traditional uniform, under the pretext he have to infiltrate a hotel twice (and he works in such a place when it ends). Similarly in cartoons and most recent comics, Fantasio sticked to a blue scheme but without his bow tie, and had rather a regular tie instead. In a subversion, in the movie, he arrives in his first scene in an outfit identical to the last he worn in the comics. But he have to change clothes two minutes later, and ends in his 60's costume with a bow tie, which "suits him well" according to the hotel receptionist.
- Watch Where You're Going!:
- Seconds after they met, Spirou jostle Fantasio, soiling the latter 's suit and losing his loot on the floor in the process.
- In the airport, they bump into each other again while being chased respectively by Marie and the police. It allow the airport police to pick and arrest them.
- Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: Spirou turn out to be afraid of planes, a quite Ironic Fear for a future adventurer. On the other end he's not afraid to pilot the Champicopter, despite the device does not have a button for landing.
- Wicked Cultured: Zorglub listen respectively to Ride of the Valkyries and The new world symphony during his lunch and while attempting to torture Champignac.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: After Champignac successfully manage to fix the zorglwaves, then became Brainwashed into the first zorglmen along with Seccotine, Zorglub order them to walk into his Lava Pit.
