Papa Zola The Movie, a Malaysian animated hit, will premiere across Southeast Asia, West Asia and South Asia from January after earning RM43 million locally.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian animated feature Papa Zola The Movie is set for an international release across Asia following its domestic box office success.
The film, which collected RM43 million in just 18 days locally, will begin its international rollout on Jan 23, 2026, in Indonesia.
It will then expand to Saudi Arabia in April, followed by Gulf Cooperation Council countries and premieres in Turkiye and India in May.
To ensure global accessibility, the film will be dubbed in Arabic, Turkish, Vietnamese, Hindi, Tamil, and English.
MD Pictures chief marketing officer Rivki Morais said the overwhelming audience response has earned the trust of distributors worldwide.
“It’s grounded in real-life struggles that every parent and family can relate to, making it highly marketable across cultures,” he said in a statement.
MONSTA’s Media director Faiz Zainal Aabidin said Papa Zola The Movie is a story that stands on its own.
He stated that audiences anywhere can connect with its narrative.
The film tells the story of Papa Zola, a hardworking father thrust into extraordinary circumstances to save his family.
It has captured the imagination of audiences across Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei.
MONSTA said the film has been praised for its emotionally driven narrative highlighting universal family challenges.
The studio behind popular franchises like BoBoiBoy said the success reinforces its ability to produce content that resonates across cultures.
MONSTA added that the film proves local stories with universal themes can compete on the world stage.
“The film’s phenomenal success demonstrates the appetite for locally made content,” the studio said.
