A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts, the Singapore-Taiwan-Ireland animated feature horror anthology, expands its co-production footprint to Indonesia at this year’s Asia TV Forum (ATF) with the addition of Kucing Hitam (Black Cat), the biggest independent creative producing and IP management company in Indonesia.
Kucing Hitam joins Robot Playground Media (Singapore), Xanthus Animation (Taiwan), and Toonz Media Group (Ireland/India) in co-producing and handling sales for A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts, a 90-minute anthology of four standalone but interlinked stories adapted from the acclaimed book of the same name by Chinese-American author and chef Ying Chang Compestine.
Currently in early-stage production as one of the region’s most anticipated films, A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts won the NMEA Award at the recent Taiwan Creative Content Fest (TCCF) in November 2025, specifically honouring projects that exemplify cross-sector collaboration, bridging different industries, technologies, and cultures.
Founded in 2019, Kucing Hitam has built and managed 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 identified and cultivated culturally entrenched stories with viral grassroots creators such as Prasodjo Muhammad, Nessie Judge, Teguh Faluvie and more IP progenitors. Since 2024, Kucing Hitam has formally expanded into film production, developing original features and new proprietary IP.
“This project speaks to us. 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,” said Kucing Hitam founder Charles Johannes.
The team at Kucing Hitam have been involved in the highest-grossing Indonesian films of all time, representing more than US$20 million in cumulative box office revenue. Joining them in producing the Indonesian-set elements of the project will be LMN VFX in Jakarta and Indonesia-Singapore investment firm Goshen Group.
Mediacorp, Singapore’s largest content creator and national media network, has also supported the project from its earliest stages, investing in its creative development as a pilot when it was initially conceived as a television series.
“Congratulations to the team on this exciting new chapter for A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts! 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,” said Mediacorp chief customer and corporate development officer Angeline Poh.
Telegael, the multi-Emmy and IFTA award-winning Irish studio within the Toonz Media Group has also come on board to lead post-production. Long recognised as one of Europe’s premier animation content powerhouses, Telegael brings a depth of craftsmanship that perfectly complements the project’s Asian creative roots. This collaboration seamlessly blends eastern storytelling traditions with world-class European post-production, strengthening the film’s quality, reach, and international appeal.
“Kucing Hitam’s entrance strengthens the spine and lore of this anthology film. Their instincts for Asian horror make them an invaluable partner as we deepen the world-building and push the project towards global audiences,” said Robot Playground Media co-founder Ervin Han.
“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,” said A Banquet for Hungry Ghost producer Justin Deimen.
“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,” said Goshen Group managing director Allen Jordan.
A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts is slated for a theatrical release in early 2027. After being repped by Toonz Media Group at AFM, the project now comes to Asia- its creative home where Toonz, together with Robot Playground, will continue driving presales across the region.
