MALAYSIAN films have been making waves at the box office in recent years, with local productions increasingly holding their own against big-budget Hollywood titles.
A claim has been circulating that for the first time, local films have drawn more cinema-goers in Malaysia than Hollywood productions in 2026.
But did Malaysians really watch more local films at the cinema than Hollywood movies this year?
Verdict:
TRUE
Malaysian films attracted 7.55 million cinema admissions from January to July 2026, surpassing the 6.94 million admissions recorded by Hollywood films during the same period, according to the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas).
The difference of approximately 610,000 admissions represents an 8.8% gap in favour of local productions.
Finas said the figures reflect growing public confidence and interest in local works, as well as the industry's ability to produce content that resonates with the tastes, culture and experiences of Malaysian viewers.
Five local films crossed the RM10mil mark at the box office during the period, led by Tarung: Unforgiven with RM23.59mil, followed by Polong with RM14.98mil, Libang Libu with RM14.16mil, Malaikat Malam with RM12.23mil and Ah Beng vs Liang Po Po with RM10.04mil.
Finas attributed the positive development to significant improvements in script quality, acting and the overall production process of local films.
The corporation said it hopes the momentum will be sustained through strategic cooperation between the government, industry practitioners, exhibitors, distributors and the private sector to ensure the national film industry continues to grow sustainably.
Finas also expressed appreciation to audiences for their support, saying it serves as motivation for industry practitioners to produce higher quality and more competitive local films.
"The achievements during the first seven months of 2026 provide a positive foundation for the Malaysian film industry to continue growing, create economic value, and strengthen the position of local content in both domestic and international markets," Finas said.
Source:
1. https://www.bernama.com/bm/am/
