‘Papa Zola The Movie’ has become Malaysia’s highest-grossing animated film, reaching a remarkable $15 million (RM61 million). This achievement surpasses other popular titles such as ‘Zootopia 2’, ‘Ne Zha 2’, and the local ‘Ejen Ali The Movie 2’. The Malay-language adventure film now holds the distinction of being the third highest-grossing Malaysian film overall, following ‘Mat Kilau’ and ‘Blood Brothers’.
Box Office Dominance and Critical Success
Produced by Monsta Studios in collaboration with Astro Shaw, ‘Papa Zola The Movie’ follows the story of a father, Papa Zola, whose life takes a dramatic turn after his daughter is abducted by aliens. The narrative unfolds as Papa Zola, alongside his wife, embarks on a mission to rescue their daughter and prevent an alien invasion. This marks the first time Papa Zola has been the central character, having previously appeared as a side character in ‘BoBoiBoy The Movie’ (2016) and ‘BoBoiBoy Movie 2’ (2019).
The film’s success was evident from the start, as the teaser trailer amassed over two million views within the first 24 hours of its release in May 2025. It went on to top the Malaysian box office during its opening weekend from December 11-14, outpacing ‘Zootopia 2’. The film maintained its top spot for five consecutive weekends, fending off competition from new releases such as ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’, ‘Anaconda’, and ‘Back to the Past’. By January 19, ‘Papa Zola The Movie’ had grossed over $15 million, securing its place as the largest animated film in Malaysian history.
Director Nizam Abd Razak, also the founder and CEO of Monsta Studios, which previously brought hits like ‘BoBoiBoy’ and ‘Mechamato’, has played a key role in the film’s success. Astro Shaw, the co-producer, has been instrumental in the marketing and distribution of the film. The movie premiered in Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore in December 2025, with future releases slated for Indonesia in January 2026, and countries like India, Vietnam, and several Middle Eastern markets, including Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Turkey, scheduled for later in the year.
In 2025, local animated films continued to perform well at the box office, with ‘Ejen Ali The Movie 2’ earning $14.4 million (RM58.5 million) and ‘Blood Brothers’, a local action thriller, grossing $18.2 million (RM73.6 million). However, ‘Mat Kilau’, a period action film from Studio Kembara, remains the highest-grossing local film ever, with earnings of $22.1 million (RM89.4 million).
With its massive success, ‘Papa Zola The Movie’ has not only set a new benchmark for Malaysian animation but also added to the growing trend of homegrown films that continue to captivate local audiences and make their mark globally.
