Kuala lumpur: Papa Zola The Movie has emerged as the number one animated film in Malaysia, achieving a major milestone with 4.4 million admissions across Southeast Asia and grossing more than RM68.2 million at the box office. The achievement places the film as the third-highest-grossing Malaysian film of all time, behind Mat Kilau and Blood Brothers.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, MONSTA's media director, Faiz Zainal Aabidin, stated that as the Chinese New Year festive period and the one-week school holiday approach, efforts are being intensified to encourage families in Malaysia to watch the film together in cinemas. 'At the same time, MONSTA is gradually shifting its promotional focus outward into international markets, following the film's encouraging performance overseas,' he said in a statement today.

Meanwhile, MD Pictures chief marketing officer, Rivki Morais, noted that the film continues to perform strongly in Indonesia, where it currently ranks among the top five most-watched films in cinemas at this stage of its release, drawing solid crowds in major urban centres. The film will next expand its international rollout with releases and promotional activities in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates in April.

This will be followed by additional Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) markets, including Bahrain, Oman, and Qatar, in May, as well as Turkiye, India, and Vietnam in June. It will also feature localised audio versions to better connect with audiences in each market.

As the festive holiday period approaches, audiences in Malaysia are invited to catch Papa Zola The Movie in cinemas as a family-friendly option during the school holidays.