“Zona Mera: Dead City,” the big-screen version of Indonesia’s hit zombie series, has tapped Barunson E&A, the Seoul-based company whose credits include Oscar-winner “Parasite,” to sell the film internationally ahead of its debut at the Cannes Film Market.
The feature film, produced by Screenplay Films, is based on “Zona Merah,” which originally aired on Vidio, the streaming arm of Indonesian conglomerate Mtech Group. The series connected with audiences on a scale unusual for zombie content in a region where the genre had struggled to gain a foothold, racking up more than 34 million cumulative views and sparking a notable spike in Vidio’s subscriber numbers.
The film takes the story in a darker direction as the crisis spreads to the second city and new quarantine measures are enforced as protagonist Maya continues to search for her brother Adi. Sidhartha Tata and Fajar Martha Santosa, who co-directed the series, share the same duties here. Tata will write the script, and Santosa will handle story continuity across both projects. Many of the series’ cast members will return, including Agnini Haq, Andri Mashadi, Maria Theodore, Devano, and Lukman Sardi, while Luna Maya, Brian Domani, Cindy Huang, Misha Lin, and Darby Romero will join in new roles. Cameras are expected to go live from April 7th, with principal photography expected to wrap up in May.
“Zona Mera showed us what’s possible when a story truly connects with an audience, a connection that extends beyond a single format. Expanding that into a full-length feature felt like a natural progression, both commercially and creatively. “Dead City” builds on everything established in the series, and we are thrilled to be working with Varunson E&A on this next step,” said Wicky V. Olindo, CEO of Screenplay Films.
At Cannes, “Zona Merah: Dead City” will be screened as part of Barunson E&A’s market slate, which will also feature Thai filmmaker Banjong Pisanthanakun’s new project “Inherit,” backed by GDH559. The Korean company is currently bringing another Indonesian title to the market. Ghost in the Cell, produced by Joko Anwar’s production company Come & Sea Pictures, was released at the Berlin Film Festival earlier this year and has since sold nearly 2 million tickets, topping Indonesia’s box office charts throughout its run.
“Indonesia’s genre landscape is at a tipping point. Audiences are becoming more adventurous, creators are pushing boundaries, and stories in this market are increasingly resonating around the world. ‘Zona Mera’ was an early sign of that change, and ‘Zona Mera: Dead City’ takes it even further. Cannes is the perfect place to introduce it to the world,” said Choi Yoon-hee, CEO of Barunson E&A.
Screenplay Films has established itself as a trusted commercial genre producer in Indonesia, with recent films including Joko Anwar’s Gundala, which had its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, and Wait Until I Make It, which became the second highest-grossing Indonesian film in 2026 so far at the local box office.
