KUALA LUMPUR: Primeworks Studios and WAU Animation announced the premiere of the Ejen Ali animated series on the biggest Chinese online video platform, Tencent Video, recently.
In a content partnership deal brokered by CAWRO, the official distributor of the programme in China, the series dubbed in Mandarin, was made available on Tencent Video China from Dec 1.
The move marks Ejen Ali's first break into China's entertainment scene, where demand for content on online video platforms is rapidly growing and fast becoming the platform of choice for major advertisers.
Just four days after its release on Tencent Video, the animated series became one of the Top 3 highly-rated overseas programmes on the platform.
Primeworks Studios and Media Prima Television Networks CEO, Datuk Khairul Anwar Salleh, said: "Following on the heels of Ejen Ali The Movie's positive reception at local cinemas last year, we are excited to announce this partnership with CAWRO in our strategy to expand the Ejen Ali brand internationally."
"It is timely for this showpiece of Malaysian animation created by our talented partner, WAU Animation, to garner more international attention and this strategic partnership underscores our commitment to bring the best of Malaysian content to the world and to kickstart the brand's licensing and merchandising business in the region," he said.
WAU Animation CEO, Usamah Zaid Yasin, added: "It's always exciting to see our work meeting new audiences, so we hope the series will be equally well received in China."
"The dream of course is to then bring the series' next instalment, Ejen Ali The Movie to the big screens in China, so we remain hopeful that this will be a reality as the country and the entertainment industry moves into the recovery stage of the Covid-19 pandemic," he said.
Ejen Ali tells the story of a boy who accidentally binds himself to an intelligence device, IRIS, belonging to an espionage agency, MATA.
He then finds himself unwillingly recruited as a secret agent whilst trying to juggle his already chaotic normal life.
After making its debut on TV3 in 2016, Ejen Ali has since been broadcast in over 50 countries in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, India and North America.
The animation series has also spawned three stand-alone mobile games with over 7 million downloads to date. They are available on Apple's App Store and Google's Play Store.
Ejen Ali The Movie which was released in December last year raked in an impressive RM32.6 million at the box office and on-demand platforms in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Indonesia, making it the highest-grossing animated film in Malaysia.