Malaysia lands US$22 million in film and TV projects as Johor bids to become regional creative hub

MALAYSIA: Malaysia is set to produce US$22 million (S$28.14 million) worth of film and television content with partners in Australia and South Korea over the next two years, with Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir positioning the collaboration as a step toward establishing Johor and the JS-SEZ as a regional hub for international content production, virtual production, and creative technologies.

According to Invest Johor, citing Bernama, the announcement was made at the KL20 @ Johor 2026: The Orange Economy Chapter — Creativity Reimagined event at Iskandar Malaysia Studios in Johor, where Akmal Nasrullah said the co-productions would be spearheaded by OMG Studios in partnership with Australia's Madman Entertainment and South Korea’s Greenpatch Studio.

The two projects comprise a Malaysia-Australia film and television production worth US$10 million and a Malaysia-South Korea feature film worth US$12 million, to be developed and produced over the next two years.

Akmal Nasrullah used the occasion to articulate a broader ambition for Malaysia's creative industry: moving beyond producing content for others to owning intellectual property with long-term commercial value.

“Malaysia must build a strong portfolio of characters, stories, formats, technologies and brands capable of generating sustained value,” he said, pointing to the success of local properties such as Upin & Ipin, Mechamato, Ejen Ali, and BoBoiBoy as proof of concept; these franchises have generated value through content, licensing, merchandise, and international market expansion.

Malaysia’s cultural and creative industries contributed 6.8% to GDP in 2024, generating RM130.7 billion (S$40.9 billion) in gross value added.

The JS-SEZ creative economy angle

The minister said the co-productions were expected to create opportunities for local talent, vendors, studios, and IP owners to participate in international productions, while helping position the JS-SEZ as a regional hub for international content, virtual production, and generative AI applications in creative industries.

Johor’s proximity to Singapore, combined with its industrial and digital infrastructure and regional networks, gives the state a competitive advantage in attracting creative industry investment, Akmal Nasrullah said.

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