KUALA LUMPUR: Muar is set to get its own cinema with FST Cinemas planning to open a new standalone seven-hall cinema complex in the Johor town by the third quarter of 2027.
FST Cinemas general manager Dr Sai Suthan Krishnan said the project, to be developed as part of The Hub Business Park Muar in collaboration with YKL Capital Sdn Bhd, would support FST's strategy to expand into underserved suburban and underpenetrated markets.
"We are positioning ourselves as a friendly neighbourhood cinema. Muar currently does not have an operational cinema, and we see an opportunity to bring that experience closer to the community," he told Bernama after the FST Rebranding Launch attended by National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS) chairman Datuk Hans Isaac and local celebrities here last Friday (April 24).
He said the standalone cinema will have a seating capacity of between 800 and 900, and, rather than one located within a shopping mall, is designed to offer a distinct movie-going experience, with improvements in seating, sound, projection quality, ambience and concessions forming part of FST's rebranding strategy.
He also noted that the Muar project forms part of the group's broader expansion plan, with FST aiming to grow from its current 16 cinemas to at least 21 by the fourth quarter of 2027.
Meanwhile, Sai Suthan said the rebranding reflects a unified identity across FST's film exhibition, distribution and production divisions, anchored on its new positioning as "Your Friendly Neighbourhood Cinema" and tagline "Feel Stories Together".
In line with its growth strategy, he said FST, a Malaysian entertainment company, would continue focusing on suburban markets while investing in digital transformation to improve operations and customer experience.
Separately, Sai Suthan said support for local productions has risen significantly, with Malaysian titles now accounting for more than 50% of audience demand, compared with a previous 70:30 split favouring foreign films.
"This shows growing support for locally produced films, and we want to continue encouraging that trend," he said, while highlighting the upcoming Tamil film Karuppu starring popular Tamil actor Suriya, which is set for release on May 14, as an example of a production designed specifically for the big-screen experience.
Meanwhile, Hans Isaac, in his speech, said that Malaysia's local film industry recorded its highest-ever ticket sales last year, reaching RM240mil, reflecting strong post-pandemic recovery and growing public support for local productions. - Bernama
