‘Mat Kilau’ set to premiere on Netflix this September in time for Malaysia Day

Malaysia’s biggest-ever box office hit Mat Kilau: Kebangkitan Pahlawan is reportedly headed to streaming service Netflix this September.

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The highest-grossing Malaysian film of all time is set to premiere on Netflix Malaysia on September 16, coinciding with Malaysia Day – a public holiday commemorating the establishment of the Malaysian federation in 1963. The announcement was made on a YouTube video that has since been made private, but was accompanied by a message for Malaysian viewers as transcribed by the New Straits Times.

“The date is timely as it is Malaysia Day, the nation’s birthday, and Mat Kilau played by Adi is a great patriot from Pahang who fought for freedom from foreign colonialism,” Netflix said in the video.

It appears that Mat Kilau: Kebangkitan Pahlawan will only be released on Netflix in Malaysia.

The news of Mat Kilau: Kebangkitan Pahlawan releasing on Netflix comes after director Syamsul Yusof told Sinar Harian that Netflix had offered to purchase the rights to the movie. “Netflix wanted to buy Mat Kilau for MYR7 million,” he revealed. “Don’t question our MYR8 million budget. There are no other Bahasa Malaysia-language films they’ll pay MYR7 million for.”

Mat Kilau: Kebangkitan Pahlawan is the highest-grossing Malaysian film of all time, taking in MYR90 million in ticket sales since its release two months ago on June 23. Its box office record surpasses the record previously set in 2018 by the horror film Munafik 2, which previously earned MYR48 million. The film was directed by Syamsul Yusof, who also helmed Mat Kilau.

The film was made on a MYR8 million budget and stars Beto Kusyairy, Fattah Amin, Johan As’ari, Wan Hanafi Su, Datuk Rahim Razali, Namron, Shaharuddin Thamby, Ellie Suriaty Omar, Mubarak Majid and Zarina Zainoordin.

A sequel is reportedly in the works at Kembara Studio, with the studio’s managing director Abdul Rahman Mt. Dali claiming that the storyline is already prepared. He also revealed plans for a spin-off film that would serve as an “expansion” to the saga which would highlight other characters related to the movie’s lead protagonist Mat Kilau is also in the works.

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