Singapore-based animated horror anthology “A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts” has expanded its international co-production footprint with the addition of Kucing Hitam, one of Indonesia’s largest independent creative producing and IP management company, the producers revealed at Asia TV Forum.
The Indonesian genre specialist joins Robot Playground Media (Singapore), Xanthus Animation (Taiwan), and Toonz Media Group (Ireland/India) in co-producing and handling sales for the feature. The project adapts the acclaimed book by Chinese-American author and chef Ying Chang Compestine into four standalone but interlinked stories.
Currently in early-stage production, “A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts” recently won the NMEA Award at Taiwan Creative Content Fest in November, an honor recognizing projects that exemplify cross-sector collaboration bridging industries, technologies and cultures.
Founded in 2019, Kucing Hitam has built a portfolio of standout Southeast Asian genre properties, including “KKN di Desa Penari,” Indonesia’s highest-grossing horror film released by MD Pictures. The company has cultivated culturally rooted stories with viral grassroots creators including Prasodjo Muhammad, Nessie Judge and Teguh Faluvie. The company formally expanded into film production in 2024.
“This project speaks to us,” said Charles Johannes, founder of Kucing Hitam. “The story has the same cultural spirit that drives Indonesia’s new wave of genre films — strong traditions, modern concerns, and the ability to reach audiences everywhere. We’re excited to work with an international team to grow this IP and bring it to viewers far beyond where it began.”
The Kucing Hitam team has been involved in Indonesia’s highest-grossing films of all time, representing more than $20 million in cumulative box office revenue. Joining them in producing the Indonesian-set elements will be LMN VFX in Jakarta and Indonesia-Singapore investment firm Goshen Group.
Mediacorp, Singapore’s national media network, has supported the project from its earliest stages, investing in its creative development as a pilot when initially conceived as a television series.
“Congratulations to the team on this exciting new chapter for ‘A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts,’” said Angeline Poh, chief customer and corporate development officer at Mediacorp. “It is gratifying to see a concept first seeded at Creatives Assembly — Mediacorp’s call for ideas initiative — evolve from a series pilot into a feature film with regional partners and global ambitions. It is inspiring to see how far the team has taken the project, and we look forward to celebrating their continued success.”
Telegael, the multi-Emmy and IFTA award-winning Irish studio within Toonz Media Group, has also come aboard to lead post-production. The collaboration blends Eastern storytelling traditions with European post-production capabilities.
“Kucing Hitam’s entrance strengthens the spine and lore of this anthology film,” said Ervin Han, co-founder of Robot Playground Media who created the project. “Their instincts for Asian horror make them an invaluable partner as we deepen the world-building and push the project towards global audiences.”
Producer Justin Deimen highlighted the franchise potential: “We’re excited to have Kucing Hitam be a part of ‘Banquet’s kitchen given their expertise in building one of the most outstanding film franchises in Southeast Asia. We see ‘A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts’ in the same vein — supremely scalable and commercial across the region, with the ability to fork into different formats, and being altogether ripe for brand partnerships and the wider involvement of consumer sectors into creative IP.”
Allen Jordan, managing director of Goshen Group, added: “The Indonesian audience will connect immediately with the film because it touches on two of the country’s great passions — food and horror. It’s a natural fit for our market, and we’re proud to support its development at this stage.”
“A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts” is slated for theatrical release in early 2027. After being represented by Toonz Media Group at the American Film Market, the project returns to Asia where Toonz and Robot Playground will continue driving presales across the region.
Robot Playground Media is a Singapore-based animation and creative studio founded in 2014, known for its Southeast Asian cultural lens and cross-border collaborations.
