KUALA LUMPUR, June 2 — Upcoming Malaysian film Kacau, adapted from Ariff Adly’s novel published by Buku Fixi, is set for a big-screen release.
Produced by Le Mediator Studio in collaboration with Buku Fixi, Cineworks and Technica Studios, the film is directed by Muzzamer Rahman, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Nazim Masnawi.
On Sunday, during the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair (KLIBF) at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL), the film’s poster and official teaser were unveiled.
The one-minute teaser centres on a worn coin linked to the film’s “Spirit of the Coin” mythology, hinting at eerie events that befall those who participate in the ritual game.
Its unsettling atmosphere evokes classic teen horror series such as Goosebumps and Are You Afraid of the Dark?
Kacau, a psychological horror film with elements of mystery and young-adult adventure, was announced earlier this year alongside its cast, including Idan Aedan, Khayrisyah Kemal, Fimie Don, Sadiq M Jamil, Nurel Baharin, Arfie Shah and Evanatie Sannie.
The project has been years in the making.
Muzzamer previously shared in an interview that his interest in adapting Kacau began in 2019 after Buku Fixi founder Amir Muhammad invited him to read the novel.
He later revealed that a production company had expressed interest in developing the story into a series, but the project was halted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
During the lockdown, Muzzamer shifted his focus to completing his debut feature film, Prebet Sapu (2020).
After its release, he decided his next project would lean towards a more mainstream narrative, prompting him to revisit Kacau with a stronger emphasis on horror, drawing on his experience directing horror short films.
Development resumed at the end of 2022, with the project reimagined for the big screen.
Founded in 2011, Buku Fixi is known for publishing contemporary Malaysian pulp fiction, thrillers and horror novels.
Several of its titles have previously been adapted for film, with Kacau emerging as one of its latest screen projects.
Amir said that among Buku Fixi’s nearly 300 published titles, Kacau and Bidan were the two he considered most suitable for adaptation.
“Alhamdulillah, Kacau has successfully been turned into a film by Muzzamer,” he said during the film’s launch at WTCKL on Friday.
One of his hopes for the film is that audiences will not only watch the adaptation but also be inspired to read the novel.
Filming took place over 25 days in Kuala Lumpur and Kedah, including at a residential building often associated with one of Malaysia’s reportedly haunted locations.
Production proceeded smoothly with the support of a crew of nearly 50 people.
The story follows a group of young people who play a ritual game for fun, only for the experience to spiral into a nightmare as an unexplained force begins to haunt them.
The film also explores the anxieties of young people stepping into adulthood and confronting its often-unsettling realities.
The production team is currently in discussions with distributors and cinema exhibitors to finalise the film’s release strategy, with Kacau expected to reach audiences around October or November 2026.
