Top 10 highest grossing Malaysian films

Malaysia’s film scene: Top 10 highest grossing films

These 'homemade' films are proof that our country is able to stand tall in the world of movie stakes.

FEATURE

By Balkish Rosly

Calling all movie lovers, come one, come all! We aren’t going to be foraying into the whole differences-between-the-genres topic, SaveMoney.my is actually about to reveal to you the list of reveal the top 10 highest grossing Malaysian Films! These “homemade” films are proof that our country is able to stand tall in the world of movie stakes.

Source: Wikipedia and IMDb
10. Ah Beng: Three Wishes

Studio: The Film Engine
Nett Gross: RM7.55 million

The number ten spot for the highest grossing Malaysia films goes to Ah Beng: Three Wishes. Written by Ryon Lee and directed by Silver Chung, this adorably funny Cantonese movie tells a story of Ah Beng and his father, who was granted three wishes by the God of Fortune during the Lunar New Year. The movie was released on the 19th of January 2012 and garnered a whopping RM7.55 million nationwide. From a budget of RM3million (estimated), we can say that Ah Beng got his wishes!
9. Adnan Semp-it

Studio:  MIG Production
Nett Gross: RM7.66 million

Adnan Semp-it is an action comedy starring top Malaysian actors Shaheizy Sam, Intan Ladyana, and Along Cham. Originally called as Rempit nan Sempit, the director was forced to change the title to Adnan Semp-it to cater to a bigger audience (also due to orders from the higher-up). Sitting comfortably at the number 9 spot in the highest grossing films in Malaysia, it can be concluded that the name change definitely paid off!

The protagonist of this movie is called Adnan, an office despatch boy who has romantic feelings for his boss. Directed by Ahmad Idham, the movie was released to the public on the 14th of January 2010. Produced by one of the top studios in Malaysia, the Metrowealth International Group with its CEO is non-other than David Teo, this film managed to collect RM7.66 million in the Malaysian box office. The roaring triumph of this movie has further propelled a television series called Adnan Sempit: the series and a movie sequel in 2012.
8. Hantu Kak Limah Balik Rumah

Studio: Tayangan Unggul
Nett Gross: RM 7.9 million

Quite literally translated to Kak Limah’s Ghost Has Gone Home, this highly anticipated horror comedy film genre won the hearts and laughter of Malaysians nationwide and became a successful box office hit in 2010. Coming in at number eight, Hantu Kak Limah banked in a staggering RM7.9 million, a number that we’re hoping would satisfy Kak Limah the ghost!

The movie takes place in village called Kampung Pisang, and portrays a story of Husin who is convinced that his neighbour has turned into a ghost.  A series of hilarious scenes sprinkled with ghostly suspense chaos soon ensues as the villagers tried to figure out what happened to the mysterious Kak Limah. Aside from winning the fans attention, the movie was also nominated for four awards including the Best Director Award, Best Actor, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor in the Filem Festival Malaysia ke-24.
7. Khurafat

Studio: Skop Production
Nett Gross: RM8.08 million

Khurafat is a horror movie directed by the Best Director in Filem Festival Malaysia ke-23 winner, Syamsul Yusof, and was released in cinemas across the nation on 13th January 2011. The film starring Syamsul Yusof, Liyana Jasmay, and Sabrina Ali was the first movie directed by Syamsul Yusof and holds the theme of a community that practices black magic to get what they want. The story revolves around Johan, who is a young married man who leads a happy and comfortable life. However, things start to unravel when the couple were constantly disturbed by a ghostly being and (of course) a spooky old lady. The movie grossed about RM8.08 million in the box office, and there’s nothing spooky about that at all.
6. Kongsi

Studio: MIG Production
Nett Gross: 8.09 million

The next highest grossing Malaysia film is Kongsi and banked in a stunning RM8.09 million in the box office (ka-ching!). Yet another action comedy film starring Shaheizy Sam, the movie tells a story about an assassin called Tumulak who decided to move to Kuala Lumpur and create havoc on the streets. The film set a record by scoring RM1.1million on its first day of screening.
5. Ngangkung

Studio: MIG Production
Nett Gross: 8.18 million

Ngangkung is a comedy horror movie starring, once again, bankable top Malaysian actor Shaheizy Sam as one of the main protagonists. When it opened in theatres nationwide, the movie made history in the Malaysian film industry by being the first ever movie to reach RM8 million in the box office. Due to this success, Ngangkung was immortalised in the Malaysian Book of records under the “highest grossing movie in 2010” title for the 2011’s book edition.

4. Hantu Bonceng

Studio: Excellent Pictures
Nett Gross: 8.53 million

Ever heard of the famous Hantu Bonceng folklore? Once upon a time, there was a supernatural being who hated walking, and so decided to hitch a ride with unsuspecting motorists…without any permission (although, if one did ask you permission- would you have allowed it?). The number four spot in our list is another movie by the famed director Ahmad Idham, which tells a modern version of the Hantu Bonceng story. Audiences nationwide are drawn to the simple yet funny plot of this not-so-scary movie, and it managed to score a massive RM8.53 million in the box office. Casting the top comedian Zizan Razak helped achieved the numbers too, after all, marketing is everything in Malaysia-wood.

3. Ombak Rindu

Studio: Astro Shaw
Nett Gross: 10.90 million

Ombak Rindu is a 2011 romantic film directed by Ali Osman. The film was adapted from a novel with the same name, and like most adaptations, received poor reviews from the critics. The harsh critics did not faze adoring fans, because the film is now at the top three spot of our list! Audiences were delighted at the beautiful love story between the two main characters and the film grossed a record breaking RM10.9 million in the box office.

2. KL Gangster

Studio: Skop Production
Nett Gross: 11.74 million

KL Gangster is an anecdote about two brothers trying to escape the harsh life of being in a gangster squad. This action film was released on June 9, 2011 and directed by Syamsul Yusof, who also starred in the movie. KL Gangster broke the record as the first Malaysian-made films to reach the collection point of RM11.74million in local cinemas, beating the record which was previously held by Ngangkung.

1. The Journey 

Studio: Astro Shaw
Nett Gross: 17.16 million

Set in modern times, The Journey trails the life of Uncle Chuan, a conservative father with a rigid set of rules. When his daughter returns home from England with a fiance, Benji in-tow, Uncle Chuan refuses to give his blessing. Despite their lack of understanding towards one another, Benji and Uncle Chuan embark on a nationwide journey to hand-deliver wedding invitations to the Uncle Chuan’s dearest and closest friends. Throughout the journey, the two learn valuable lessons about accepting each other’s differences.

The simple yet beautiful plot was the film’s main ammo, and it obviously worked! The film was a critical success and it officially became the highest grossing local Malaysian Chinese movie production on the 12 February 2014 with a gross of RM7.6 million, surpassing the previous record which was held by Ah Beng: Three Wishes.

Balkish Rosly is an Investigative Journalist of SaveMoney.my, an online consumer advice portal which aims to help Malaysians save money through smart (and most of the time painless) savings in their daily banking, technology, and lifestyle spending habits.

Malaysia Yearly Box Office 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 Rows: #1–100, #101–116

Rank	Movie Title	Distributor	Gross	Release
1	Transformers: Age of Extinction	UIP	$13,521,606	6/26
2	The Amazing Spider-Man 2	Sony	$9,394,162	5/1
3	Captain America: The Winter Soldier	Disney	$8,404,017	3/27
4	X-Men: Days of Future Past	Fox	$6,651,878	5/22
5	Maleficent	Disney	$6,393,211	5/29
6	Godzilla (2014)	Fox	$6,077,147	5/15
7	Robocop (2014)	Sony	$5,833,356	1/30
8	Guardians of the Galaxy	Disney	$5,692,451	7/31
9	Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014)	UIP	$5,074,609	8/7
10	Dawn of the Planet of the Apes	Fox	$4,759,712	7/10
11	Need for Speed	Disney	$4,468,303	3/13
12	Hercules (2014)	UIP	$4,291,639	7/24
13	Lucy	UIP	$4,067,993	8/21
14	How to Train Your Dragon 2	Fox	$3,955,651	6/12
15	Edge of Tomorrow	Fox	$3,740,645	5/29
16	The Man from Macau	Golden Sceen	$3,138,139	1/30
17	300: Rise of An Empire	WB	$3,119,383	3/6
18	The Monkey King	Golden Sceen	$2,665,655	1/30
19	Into The Storm	WB	$2,635,004	8/7
20	Non-Stop	Disney	$2,273,188	2/27
21	Hello Babies	FiveStar	$2,181,322	1/30
22	The Expendables 3	n/a	$2,137,369	8/14
23	Rio 2	Fox	$1,946,266	4/10
24	I, Frankenstein	Golden Sceen	$1,926,244	1/23
25	Bing Fung: Chung Sang Chi Mun (Iceman)	Golden Sceen	$1,640,912	4/17
26	Divergent	Golden Sceen	$1,489,105	3/20
27	Step Up All In	n/a	$1,478,605	7/31
28	Brick Mansions	n/a	$1,364,605	4/24
29	The Lego Movie	WB	$1,331,532	2/6
30	The Legend of Hercules	n/a	$1,303,892	1/9
31	Gam gai 3	Golden Sceen	$1,264,331	2/6
32	Pompeii	Golden Sceen	$1,130,375	2/20
33	Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit	UIP	$1,092,620	1/16
34	Huat Ah! Huat Ah! Huat!	Golden Sceen	$1,061,994	2/6
35	The Fault in our Stars	Fox	$1,003,931	7/17
36	Deliver Us From Evil	Sony	$1,002,100	7/3
37	Sabotage (2014)	n/a	$986,236	4/3
38	Mr. Peabody & Sherman	Fox	$917,788	3/20
39	Oculus	n/a	$833,811	4/10
40	Devil's Due	Fox	$789,222	1/9
41	22 Jump Street	Sony	$781,915	7/17
42	Transcendence	n/a	$745,386	4/17
43	Z Storm	FiveStar	$651,586	6/19
44	Vampire Academy	n/a	$611,401	2/13
45	As the Light Goes Out	Golden Sceen	$601,895	1/2
46	Lone Survivor	Disney	$583,849	1/14
47	Neighbors	UIP	$576,177	5/8
48	The Damned (2014)	n/a	$562,735	8/28
49	Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones	UIP	$532,457	1/2
50	Black Comedy	Golden Sceen	$477,279	4/3
51	Overheard 3	n/a	$469,733	5/29
52	Delete Lovers	n/a	$467,908	4/10
53	3 Days to Kill	Golden Sceen	$463,592	2/27
54	The Other Woman (2014)	Fox	$395,666	5/1
55	That Demon Within	Golden Sceen	$393,629	4/24
56	Temporary Family	Golden Sceen	$378,939	8/28
57	Blended	WB	$374,695	6/12
58	In The Dark	Golden Sceen	$339,248	3/27
59	A Million Ways to Die in the West	UIP	$338,152	6/12
60	Delivery Man	Disney	$334,347	1/1
61	The Quiet Ones	Golden Sceen	$318,997	4/24
62	Taihong Taihean	Golden Sceen	$316,815	5/8
63	Haunt (2014)	Golden Sceen	$297,824	3/6
64	As Above/So Below	UIP	$258,067	9/4
65	Fen Shou 100 Ci	Golden Sceen	$240,470	8/14
66	The Lion Men: Ultimate Showdown	n/a	$235,323	7/17
67	Mathayom pak ma tha Mae Nak	Golden Sceen	$233,688	6/5
68	The Hundred-Foot Journey	Disney	$215,795	8/28
69	Once Upon a Time in Shanghai	Golden Sceen	$208,307	1/9
70	The Monuments Men	Fox	$202,324	2/20
71	That Awkward Moment	Golden Sceen	$194,274	2/13
72	3 A.M. Part 2	n/a	$187,793	4/10
73	The Machine	n/a	$180,803	4/3
74	Tokarev	Golden Sceen	$165,302	4/17
75	Filial Party	n/a	$152,636	5/8
76	The Signal	Golden Sceen	$147,459	8/28
77	Aberdeen (2014)	Golden Sceen	$143,702	5/15
78	Horseplay	Golden Sceen	$140,634	3/21
79	Second Coming	UIP	$134,523	3/13
80	Earth to Echo	n/a	$130,783	7/24
81	The Four 2 (2013)	Golden Sceen	$123,465	1/16
82	The Giver	Golden Sceen	$122,024	9/4
83	The White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom	n/a	$119,322	7/31
84	Endless Love (2014)	UIP	$118,586	2/13
85	Ribbit	n/a	$113,111	9/4
86	Rak rao khayao kwan	n/a	$105,101	6/19
87	The Four 3 (2014)	Golden Sceen	$93,176	8/28
88	Saving Mr. Banks	Disney	$86,482	2/20
89	American Hustle	n/a	$81,955	2/27
90	Snowpiercer	n/a	$78,987	2/20
91	The Anomaly	n/a	$72,239	7/17
92	Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom	Golden Sceen	$63,250	1/9
93	Labor Day	UIP	$59,667	3/13
94	The Rover	Golden Sceen	$58,936	6/19
95	The Grand Budapest Hotel	Fox	$57,706	4/3
96	Tarzan (2013)	n/a	$54,032	3/20
97	Her (2013)	Golden Sceen	$49,254	1/16
98	Draft Day	Golden Sceen	$46,482	4/10
99	Muppets Most Wanted	Disney	$43,028	4/24
100	Chef	n/a	$40,635	5/16