Latest news with #Usamah
New Straits Times
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: 'Ejen Ali The Movie 2' scores big in Indonesia, screening in 240 cinemas
KUALA LUMPUR: Ejen Ali The Movie 2 (EATM2), the highly anticipated sequel to Malaysia's hit animated feature, is enjoying a strong run in Indonesia, with its theatrical release now extended to 240 cinemas, more than triple the number when it premiered on June 27. In just five days, the film has attracted over 174,000 moviegoers of all ages, especially children, marking a significant milestone for the homegrown animation in a competitive entertainment market. WAU Animation chief executive officer and EATM2 director Usamah Zaid Yasin said the team had not expected such an overwhelming reception, particularly as Indonesia does not operate a 'mandatory screening' system like Malaysia. "We entered the market at the perfect time during the school holidays, backed by strong local partnerships, distributors, and a communications agency that truly understands the Indonesian audience," he told Bernama. Usamah attributed the film's early momentum to the loyal Ejen Ali digital fanbase in Indonesia, cultivated over the years through YouTube and social media, alongside strategic collaborations with Indonesian animation studios and a soundtrack feature with popular local band Nidji. He said these localisation efforts gave the film a familiar touch and a sense of ownership for Indonesian viewers, and he expects viewership to continue rising in the coming weeks. With momentum building, EATM2 is expected to debut in Cambodia, following recent successful runs in Singapore and Brunei, cementing its growing regional footprint. Reflecting on the challenges of international expansion, Usamah said assembling the right collaborators was critical. "The first movie had a smaller scale and limited traction. This time, with stronger backing from Media Prima and our Indonesian partners, we saw a leap in visibility and cinema presence," he said. He added that dedicated media strategies and a better understanding of the local market helped drive engagement and ticket sales, hoping it would set a stronger foundation for Malaysian creative works to reach wider audiences abroad. Produced by WAU Animation in collaboration with Primeworks Studios (PWS), the film, which follows the story of a 12-year-old boy who accidentally becomes a spy, has grossed nearly RM60 million to date, with more regional releases in the pipeline.
Sinar Daily
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sinar Daily
Ejen Ali 2 scores big in Indonesia, expands to 240 cinemas nationwide
In just five days, the film has attracted over 174,000 moviegoers of all ages, especially children, marking a significant milestone for the homegrown animation in a competitive entertainment market. 03 Jul 2025 09:21am Ejen Ali The Movie 2, the highly anticipated sequel to Malaysia's hit animated feature, is enjoying a strong run in Indonesia, with its theatrical release now extended to 240 cinemas, more than triple the number when it premiered on June 27. KUALA LUMPUR - Ejen Ali The Movie 2 (EATM2), the highly anticipated sequel to Malaysia's hit animated feature, is enjoying a strong run in Indonesia, with its theatrical release now extended to 240 cinemas, more than triple the number when it premiered on June 27. In just five days, the film has attracted over 174,000 moviegoers of all ages, especially children, marking a significant milestone for the homegrown animation in a competitive entertainment market. WAU Animation chief executive officer and EATM2 director Usamah Zaid Yasin said the team had not expected such an overwhelming reception, particularly as Indonesia does not operate a 'mandatory screening' system like Malaysia. "We entered the market at the perfect time during the school holidays, backed by strong local partnerships, distributors and a communications agency that truly understands the Indonesian audience," he told Bernama. Usamah attributed the film's early momentum to the loyal Ejen Ali digital fanbase in Indonesia, cultivated over the years through YouTube and social media, alongside strategic collaborations with Indonesian animation studios and a soundtrack feature with popular local band Nidji. He said these localisation efforts gave the film a familiar touch and a sense of ownership for Indonesian viewers, and he expects viewership to continue rising in the coming weeks. With momentum building, EATM2 is expected to debut in Cambodia, following recent successful runs in Singapore and Brunei, cementing its growing regional footprint. Reflecting on the challenges of international expansion, Usamah said assembling the right collaborators was critical. "The first movie had a smaller scale and limited traction. This time, with stronger backing from Media Prima and our Indonesian partners, we saw a leap in visibility and cinema presence," he said. He added that dedicated media strategies and a better understanding of the local market helped drive engagement and ticket sales, hoping it would set a stronger foundation for Malaysian creative works to reach wider audiences abroad. Produced by WAU Animation in collaboration with Primeworks Studios (PWS), the film which follows the story of a 12-year-old boy who accidentally becomes a spy, has grossed nearly RM60 million to date, with more regional releases in the pipeline. - BERNAMA
Malaysian Reserve
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Malaysian Reserve
Ejen Ali 2 scores big in Indonesia, expands to 240 cinemas nationwide
KUALA LUMPUR — Ejen Ali The Movie 2 (EATM2), the highly anticipated sequel to Malaysia's hit animated feature, is enjoying a strong run in Indonesia, with its theatrical release now extended to 240 cinemas, more than triple the number when it premiered on June 27. In just five days, the film has attracted over 174,000 moviegoers of all ages, especially children, marking a significant milestone for the homegrown animation in a competitive entertainment market. WAU Animation chief executive officer and EATM2 director Usamah Zaid Yasin said the team had not expected such an overwhelming reception, particularly as Indonesia does not operate a 'mandatory screening' system like Malaysia. 'We entered the market at the perfect time during the school holidays, backed by strong local partnerships, distributors and a communications agency that truly understands the Indonesian audience,' he told Bernama. Usamah attributed the film's early momentum to the loyal Ejen Ali digital fanbase in Indonesia, cultivated over the years through YouTube and social media, alongside strategic collaborations with Indonesian animation studios and a soundtrack feature with popular local band Nidji. He said these localisation efforts gave the film a familiar touch and a sense of ownership for Indonesian viewers, and he expects viewership to continue rising in the coming weeks. With momentum building, EATM2 is expected to debut in Cambodia, following recent successful runs in Singapore and Brunei, cementing its growing regional footprint. Reflecting on the challenges of international expansion, Usamah said assembling the right collaborators was critical. 'The first movie had a smaller scale and limited traction. This time, with stronger backing from Media Prima and our Indonesian partners, we saw a leap in visibility and cinema presence,' he said. He added that dedicated media strategies and a better understanding of the local market helped drive engagement and ticket sales, hoping it would set a stronger foundation for Malaysian creative works to reach wider audiences abroad. Produced by WAU Animation in collaboration with Primeworks Studios (PWS), the film which follows the story of a 12-year-old boy who accidentally becomes a spy, has grossed nearly RM60 million to date, with more regional releases in the pipeline. — BERNAMA
New Straits Times
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Usamah Zaid hopeful 'Ejen Ali The Movie 2' will be well-received in Indonesia
KUALA LUMPUR: The teenage superspy Ejen Ali is a hit with Indonesian viewers, and Usamah Zaid Yasin, the creator and director from WAU Animation, is optimistic that Ejen Ali The Movie 2 will also be well-received in the vast republic. Set to debut in Indonesian cinemas this Friday (June 27), Ejen Ali The Movie 2 (EATM2) has high hopes from WAU Animation. Usamah, the chief executive officer, told Harian Metro yesterday that WAU is confident Indonesian cinema-goers will flock to watch the young agent's state-of-the-art adventure. Usamah revealed, "Indonesia is one of three overseas destinations for EATM2, alongside Singapore and Cambodia. Especially for viewers there, we've brought in Indonesian rock band Nidji to perform one of the songs on the original soundtrack, titled 'Teman Sejati'." Usamah also believes that if the movie performs well in the extensive Indonesian market, it will encourage WAU Animation to continue Ejen Ali's cinematic adventures in the future. "Success abroad translates into success at home, and we're optimistic about reaching our RM60 million target, which is just RM5 million away from our current RM55 million," he added. EATM2, a joint production by WAU Animation and Primeworks Studios, premiered in Malaysian and Bruneian cinemas on May 22.
New Straits Times
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Zeroing in on RM60mil target
USAMAH Zaid Yasin, who directed "Ejen Ali The Movie 2" (EATM2), said the animated film can hit its RM60 million box office target. EATM2 has made history by raking in RM40.6 million in 13 days of screening. This figure surpasses the earnings of 2019's "Ejen Ali". Usamah expressed gratitude to audiences for their support, especially for watching the film with their families. "As for the RM60 million target, I'm leaving it to audiences to make it a reality. It's not impossible for EATM2 to achieve it." He said many viewers have watched the film multiple times, a trend he finds encouraging. "Despite other domestic films being screened at the same time as EATM2, 'Ejen Ali' is getting significant attention." Usamah also mentioned that the decision to continue screening EATM2 for several more weeks rests with cinemas, based on audience demand. "Usually, a film's reception is great for the first two weeks following its release. After that, screenings in certain places start to decrease. " But for EATM2, I believe the strong audience response will continue, and as I said, the RM60 million target is not impossible to achieve." Earlier, he announced that EATM2 will be released in phases in Singapore, Indonesia and Cambodia. The sequel, produced by Wau Animation in collaboration with Primeworks Studios and Komet Productions, premiered in Malaysian and Bruneian cinemas on May 22. Usamah, who is CEO of Wau Animation, recently attended an interview with Indonesian band Nidji. The band was chosen to perform "Teman Sejati", a song featured on the EATM2 soundtrack.
