Truth be told, ‘Papa Zola The Movie’ proves local animation can be box office gold, smashing RM10m in its first week

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 15 — Local animated film Papa Zola The Movie, produced by MONSTA Studio and Astro Shaw, has achieved a remarkable milestone by surpassing RM10 million in box office collections, only days after its nationwide release on December 11.

Director and writer of Papa Zola The Movie, who is also the chief executive officer of MONSTA, Nizam Abd Razak, expressed his gratitude to the audiences, the media and exhibitors for their support of Papa Zola The Movie.

“We never expected an animated film like Papa Zola The Movie to leave such a profound impact on viewers.

“The sharing and reactions from audiences prove that this is our story, a story born from the realities of life.

“We hope this film opens new avenues for local animation to present mature and meaningful storytelling,” he added.

Executive producer of Papa Zola The Movie and head of Astro Shaw, Raja Jastina Raja Arshad, said: “Seeing the emotional reactions of audiences and how they share their personal experiences after watching Papa Zola The Movie is a great appreciation for us.

“Thank you to all viewers and the ‘warriors of truth’ who have supported this film.

“With the school holidays approaching, we hope more audiences, especially families, will take the time to go to the cinema and watch this film together with their loved ones.”

Papa Zola The Movie has sparked a “truth phenomenon”, as audiences flooded social media with reactions to its honest storytelling, which closely reflects the realities of adult life, while younger viewers were captivated by its dynamic action and striking visuals.

The film’s success comes as little surprise, given the continued rise of local animation and the growing impact it has made in Malaysia and beyond.

MONSTA Studio, in particular, has played a key role in this momentum through the success of BoBoiBoy and Mechamato across both television series and feature films, with Papa Zola The Movie now proudly joining their ranks.

Notably, Papa Zola The Movie is the first local animated feature to place an adult character at the centre of its story, breaking away from the traditional focus on child protagonists in animated films.

Since its release, the film has even ignited broader conversations about the pressures of modern life, sacrifice, and the true meaning of success – themes rarely explored within the local animation landscape.

Its thoughtful yet sincere narrative demonstrates that local animation can move beyond pure entertainment, emerging as a mature, bold, and socially relevant storytelling medium.

Papa Zola The Movie is currently screening in cinemas across Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei.

The film will make its international debut in Indonesia starting January 2026, followed by releases in India, Vietnam, and key Middle Eastern markets – including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Turkey – in April 2026.