KUALA LUMPUR, July 30 — Monsta’s animated feature film, Papa Zola The Movie, is set to make a remarkable breakthrough into the Asia-Pacific and Middle East markets this September after conquering the Malaysian and Southeast Asian markets.
In a statement today, Monsta said the film will open in South Korea on Sept 2, followed by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kuwait on Sept 23, while also making its way to cinemas in Australia, New Zealand and India.
The achievement marks another milestone as Papa Zola The Movie becomes the Malaysian animated film with the widest international theatrical distribution, underscoring the ability of Malaysia’s animation industry to stand alongside international productions.
“The film’s expansion into more countries follows its record-breaking box office collection of more than RM69 million with over 4.5 million viewers across Southeast Asia, making it the highest-grossing local animated film in Malaysian history,” the statement said.
Monsta marketing director Faiz Zainal Aabidin said the achievement reflected the confidence of international distributors in the quality of Malaysian animated content.
“Every new market that welcomes Papa Zola The Movie is a recognition of the ability of local creative works to compete on the global stage.
“We are truly grateful for the support of audiences and the confidence shown by our international distribution partners. It inspires us to continue producing world-class content that resonates with viewers,” he said.
The film’s momentum will continue with Papa Pipi Series, a new animated series featuring Papa Zola, Mama Zila and Pipi Zola in more family-oriented stories inspired by everyday life.
The series is set to premiere on the Netflix streaming platform and Monsta Network (YouTube) by the end of 2026.
