The local horror film ‘Da Bo: Ritual of the Lost Fetus’, which centers on Malaysia’s familiar spirit ‘White Impermanence’ (Da Bo Ye), has broken RM2.5 million at the box office, successfully sparking widespread discussion. Riding on this success, the original production team has officially announced the launch of a brand new horror entertainment film ‘Da Shi Ye: The Hungry Ghost Getai’. Director JeRR Ps Rion is full of confidence in the new work, aiming for the box office to exceed RM5 million and striving to surpass the previous film.
‘Da Shi Ye: The Hungry Ghost Getai’ takes place against the cultural backdrop of the Hungry Ghost Festival’s popular getai (stage show) performances in July (lunar month), with a plot that revolves around local taboos and legends, continuing the creative path of integrating local folklore and horror elements. JeRR and screenwriter Xie Yu Ze will both make cameo appearances in the film, while the main cast includes Du Hai Lun, Mo Pei Ling, He Jia Hao, Yuan Wei Kang, and Wu An Li.
JeRR revealed that ‘Da Shi Ye: The Hungry Ghost Getai’ is still in the scriptwriting stage, but it has been confirmed that the supernatural and horror atmosphere will be intensified. Filming is scheduled to begin in mid-March, with plans to release the film in October. The shooting location will be in the Kampar area of Perak, with a production budget of about RM1 million. The crew will build a complete Hungry Ghost Festival fairground set, including a shrine for Da Shi Ye, the getai stage, and backstage areas, with a comprehensive upgrade in both picture quality and production standards.
In addition, singer-songwriter JeRR, following his work on ‘Da Bo: Ritual of the Lost Fetus’, will again personally handle the film’s background score and original songs, injecting an even more complete auditory experience into the new movie.
Speaking about directing and acting at the same time, JeRR admitted that he actually prefers acting: “I don’t really like directing, I prefer acting.” He also joked that he’s not accepting any director fees, although he will still collect an actor’s fee. He revealed that he will play a veteran singer in the village in the new film and will boldly take on a cross-dressing role, joking that the biggest challenge is not the acting but “having to wear high heels.”
When asked whether he plans to invite well-known celebrities to join the cast, JeRR replied frankly that he has no such intentions. He pointed out that, from the experience of ‘Da Bo: Ritual of the Lost Fetus’, “deities” themselves are strong and powerful IPs—not needing big stars for support. “As long as the actors raise their performance and do their best, the story can be presented in full.”