RM50 Million “The Catcher” is Malaysia’s Fast and Furious?

The most expensive Malaysian film, The Catcher, is in the pipeline. It is set to give moviegoers an adrenaline rush, along the lines of Fast & Furious.

The Catcher is a joint production between Hundred Years Popcorn Production Sdn Bhd and Labuan Overseas Holding Bhd. Hundred Years founder Ong Peng Chu said that The Catcher was set to break several local and international records once completed in 2023.

Filming will begin in May next year, in the Klang Valley, Port Dickson and Gurun near Sungai Petani, Kedah.

With a budget of more than RM50 million, The Catcher portrays car modification aficionados “life” on the fast lane” and follows the story of a small town boy who aspires to become a “drift king”. “This young man works hard to win races, facing formidable opponents from around the world, with heavily modified supercars,” said Ong at a press conference to mark the launch of The Catcher at Reevo Merchant Lounge in OneCity Mall, Subang Jaya today.

Also present were Labuan Overseas Holding chief executive officer Burhanudin Mohd Yusoff, Robotz founder Datuk Seri Jeffrey Teoh, and the film’s adviser Joe Lim. Burhanudin said that The Catcher was a ground-breaking film that would catch the eyes of high net worth investors.

“We look forward to the success of this film as there is massive potential to open up investment opportunities in motor vehicle-related industries, and stimulate the recovery of our economy,” he said. Teoh said that The Catcher would feature 500 supercars, all belonging to the Robotz Car Club. The members of Robotz has always been inspired by Vin Diesel’s Fast & Furious movie franchise. We hope to emulate the brilliance of this movie series in a Malaysian context,” he said.

Lim, who introduced motor racing in Zhuhai, China back in the 1990s and played an important role in the success of the Formula One Grand Prix in Shanghai during the same period, said that The Catcher would introduce motoring enthusiasts to a new motoring equipment and services brand called Enhance.

He said that Enhance would have a special motor vehicle modification zone outside OneCity Mall, a state-of-the-art petrol and gas station in Cyberjaya, and an automotive city in Gurun, complete with race tracks and resort facilities.

“Some of the key scenes of The Catcher would be at this new city that covers 1,214 hectares. This city will be a joint venture between Enhance and the Kedah state government,” he said, adding that it would also have a driving academy and automotive engineering college.

Ong said that the script for The Catcher would be ready soon and casting will take place in the next three months. “We will have some big names, local and international as it is targeting the international market. Filming will take eight months, and besides premiering in cinemas it may also be screened on online video platforms,” he said.