Barunson E&A, the Korean production company famous for supporting Bong Joon Ho’s multi-Oscar winning film parasiteAnd he resigned Zona Merah: The Dead Citya feature film adaptation of the hit Indonesian horror series Zona Merah.
Seoul will handle international sales for the project, produced by Indonesia’s Screenplay Films, and will release it at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival alongside He inheritsthe new horror film by Thai director Pangong Pisanthanakon. The deal expands Baronson’s ongoing pursuit of cinema in Southeast Asia, as the Korean company continues to amass a portfolio of salable film titles from the region.
The original Zona Merah It debuted as an original series on Vidio, the Emtek Group-owned platform that has emerged as a leading local broadcaster in Indonesia. Set in the fictional city of Rimbalaya, the series follows Maya as she searches for her missing younger brother Adi amid a fast-spreading zombie outbreak, racing to find him before authorities seal off the area as a “Zona Merah,” or red zone. The series became one of Vidio’s biggest successes, attracting more than 34 million views and an increase in new subscribers, according to the platform.
“Zona Merah “It showed us what’s possible when a story truly connects with its audience — the kind of connection that extends far beyond a single format,” said Screenplay Films CEO Wicky V. Olindo. “Expanding it into a feature seemed like a natural progression, both commercially and creatively.”
The new feature will reportedly expand the scope, with another city falling and a new red zone emerging. Siddhartha Tata and Dawn Martha Santosa, the team behind the original series, are co-directing, with Tata returning as screenwriter while Santosa is overseeing story development. Much of the original cast reprises their roles, including Agnini Haqq, Andrei Mashadi, Maria Theodore, Divano, and Lokmane Sardi, and they are joined by new additions Luna Maya, Brian Domani, Shendi Huang, Misha Lane, and Derby Romero. Principal photography began on April 7 and continues through May.
Screenplay Films is among the most popular genre producers in Indonesia. Includes recent credits Wait until I do thatcurrently the second highest-grossing domestic film of 2026, and the superhero origin of Joko Anwar Gundalawhich premiered at Midnight Madness at TIFF in 2019.
“Indonesia’s genre scene is at an inflection point — audiences are becoming more adventurous, creators are pushing boundaries, and stories from this market are increasingly resonating globally,” Yoonhee Choi, CEO of Barunson E&A, said in a statement. “Zona Merah It was an early sign of this transformation, and Zona Merah: The Dead City It takes it further. Cannes will be the place to introduce it to the world.”
The truck arrives amid a busy period for Baronson in Southeast Asia. Last year, the company signed a two-year exclusive sales partnership with Come and See Pictures, the subsidiary of Indonesian horror filmmaker Anwar (Satan’s servants, Herpes). Anwar latest news, Ghost in the cellIt premiered at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival, and has dominated the Indonesian box office since its release, approaching two million views. Baronson has also acquired international remake rights to spin-off titles from local company Imajinari and works closely with several leading Indonesian production houses, including Visinema Pictures, Base Entertainment and Rapi Films.
From Thailand, Baronson sells Pangong He inheritshis first film in five years – and an expected return to the horror genre for the director who was behind notable local hits such as shutter and Paul Mac.
