Banking on local superheroes

Homegrown hero: Bumilangit’s production manager Imansyah Lubis posing next to an image of Indonesian superhero Gundala at the Bumilangit office in Jakarta. — AFP

Marvel’s Avengers may bring in billions at the box office but Indonesia is taking on the likes of Iron Man with its own superhero franchise, tapping into growing global demand for diverse characters.

The first movie of the series, Gundala, which was directed by one of Indonesia’s most prolific filmmakers Joko Anwar and released locally to critical and popular acclaim, is now set to play in cinemas across North America.

With a back catalogue of more than 500 Indonesian comics, the studio Screenplay Bumilangit is hoping to create its own Marvel-style “Cinematic Universe” with films featuring interconnected characters and settings.