US$22M Co-Production Slate Unveiled at KL20@Johor 2026, Linking Malaysia with Australia, Singapore and South Korea

Malaysia’s Minister of Economy Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir with representatives from OMG Studios, South Korea’s Greenfish Studio and Australia’s Curtin University at KL20@Johor 2026, where a US$22M co-production slate was announced. (Photo: Oceanus Media Global)

Malaysia’s Minister of Economy Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir takes part in a live virtual production showcase at KL20@Johor 2026, with OMG Studios CEO Nick GC Tan guiding the demonstration. (Photo: Oceanus Media Global)

Guests gather at KL20@Johor 2026: The Orange Economy Chapter, “Creativity Reimagined”, held at Iskandar Malaysia Studios on 29 September 2026. (Photo: Oceanus Media Global)

Announcement at the Orange Economy Chapter positions Johor as a regional hub for international content, virtual production and creative technology

ISKANDAR PUTERI, JOHOR, MALAYSIA, October 20, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A US$22 million (approximately RM92 million) slate of international film and television co-productions involving studios from Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, and South Korea was announced at KL20@Johor 2026: The Orange Economy Chapter, "Creativity Reimagined", held at Iskandar Malaysia Studios (IMS) on 29 September 2026.

Malaysia's Minister of Economy, YB Tuan Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir, unveiled the slate in his opening speech. The collaboration, led by OMG Studios with Australia's Sandpiper Entertainment, South Korea's Greenfish Studio and other regional studios, comprises a US$10 million Malaysia–Australia film and television slate and a US$12 million Malaysia–South Korea feature film slate, to be developed and produced over the next two years.

The Minister said the collaboration "will create opportunities for Malaysian talent, vendors, studios and intellectual property owners" to take part in international productions while building longer-term capabilities. He also urged the creative sector to move beyond service work to creating and retaining ownership of intellectual property – characters, stories, formats, technology and brands – that can be licensed and monetised internationally.

A Regional Hub for Content and Creative Technology

The Minister noted that the initiative reinforces the potential of the Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) as a regional hub for international content, virtual production (VP), generative AI and creative technology. He pointed to Johor's proximity to Singapore, its industrial and digital infrastructure, regional connectivity and the capabilities around IMS, adding that the JS-SEZ could connect Malaysian creative companies with regional capital, production networks, technology partners and international buyers.

Central to that capability is the VP Studio at IMS, the result of a partnership between IMS and OMG Studios that combines IMS's soundstage with integrated VP capabilities. The facility features one of Southeast Asia's largest LED volume soundstages, including a full-scale LED volume with sky and side panels, and is purpose-built for high-end film, commercial and broadcast productions. Guests at KL20@Johor saw the technology in action at two live VP showcases held during the day, where the OMG Studios team also shared its approach to hybrid filmmaking, which brings VP, AI and practical filmmaking together in one pipeline.

Australia: A Cross-Border Film and Television Slate

The US$10 million slate sees Sandpiper Entertainment and OMG Studios joining forces on a series of Australia–Malaysia–Singapore film and television co-productions, produced using VP and AI, starting with the live-action feature Amber Fang. The slate is further supported by the next stage of OMG Studios’s collaboration with Curtin University. Building on the VP Studio launched at Curtin’s Perth campus in September 2026, the partnership will take students and educators from the classroom into real international co-productions. Together, the three partners are connecting production, technology and education across Australia, Malaysia and Singapore, building a pipeline that runs from classroom to screen.

South Korea: A Gateway for Korean Co-Productions

The South Korea–Malaysia slate marks a new international partnership in feature filmmaking between OMG Studios and Greenfish Studio, and a gateway to wider co-production opportunities between South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and beyond.

The partners will work on a slate of feature films for international audiences, beginning with a psychological thriller to be produced using AI-powered VP. Further details on the title will be announced at a later date. The collaboration brings together OMG's creative and technology capabilities, Greenfish Studio's feature film production expertise and the VP infrastructure at IMS. As the first of OMG Studios's Korean co-productions, the project is expected to open the door to further collaborations with Korean studios and creators, bringing more Korean content to international audiences.

Industry Conversations Across the Creative Economy

Beyond the announcement, KL20@Johor 2026 brought together government leaders, studios, streamers, investors and creators for a full day of panels and showcases. Following welcome remarks by YB Tuan Lee Ting Han, Johor State EXCO for Investment, sessions explored how regional buyers assess content and partnerships, what makes Malaysian stories travel internationally, the business of short-form drama, AI's role in content creation, safety in gaming, and investment trends across Southeast Asia's creative economy.

Speakers included representatives from Sony Pictures Entertainment, iQIYI, Viu Malaysia, FINAS, PlayStation Studios, Monsta Studios, Roblox, MDEC, Gobi Partners and MyCreative Ventures, among others. Nick GC Tan, CEO of OMG Studios, joined the panel "Prompt. Produce. Premiere", which discussed how creators can work faster with AI without compromising creativity, intellectual property or ethical standards. The day closed with the Game/Screen Jam awards and a networking reception.

Taken together, the slate and the day's discussions point to growing momentum for cross-border collaboration, with Malaysian and regional talent increasingly positioned to create content for global audiences.

About Oceanus Media Global

Oceanus Media Global (OMG Studios) is a Southeast Asian creative media technology company specialising in virtual production, generative AI, immersive media, content production, distribution and IP licensing.

OMG Studios drives the adoption of virtual production and AI-powered filmmaking across the region, with operations expanding into Australia, Korea and beyond — spanning film, advertising, broadcast, education and emerging creative technologies.

Through its production facilities, technology partnerships and industry collaborations, OMG Studios develops new approaches to content creation while building pathways for creative and technology talent to participate in the global screen industry.

Jeslyn Keng
Oceanus Media Global (OMG)
info@OceanusMedia.global
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