Picture Credit: Monsta Studios
After shattering box office records in Southeast Asia late last year and spending the last few months locked to international Netflix libraries, Monsta Studios’ Papa Zola The Movie is finally making its way to the United States. We can confirm the animated sci-fi action-comedy will make its Netflix US streaming debut on December 1st, 2026.
For those unfamiliar with the franchise, Papa Zola is a breakout fan-favorite character originating from Monsta’s massively popular BoBoiBoy animated universe. Written, directed, and produced by Monsta CEO Nizam Razak (who also lends his voice to the titular hero), Papa Zola The Movie serves as a standalone feature that puts the spotlight squarely on the self-proclaimed “Lover of Truth”.
First hitting theaters in Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei in December 2025, the film was an absolute juggernaut. It pulled in a staggering RM 68.2 million at the box office, officially cementing its place as the highest-grossing Malaysian animated film of all time.
What is Papa Zola The Movie about?
Blending family-friendly comedy with high-stakes sci-fi action, the movie follows Papa Zola living a quiet life as a bumbling food delivery rider alongside his wife, Mama Zila, and their daughter, Pipi. However, his mundane routine hides a secret past as a skilled operative.
Netflix’s official logline for the movie reads:
When invading aliens kidnap his daughter, a doting dad must don the mask of his secret-agent past to save her — and foil their plan for world domination.
To save Pipi and stop an extraterrestrial threat capable of turning Earth into a simulated reality, Papa Zola has to dust off the cobwebs and reunite with old allies. Alongside Nizam Razak, the voice cast features Noor Ieesya Isandra as Pipi Zola, Noor Ezdiani Ahmad Fawzi as Mama Zila, Yusuf Bahrin as Kachax Khan, and Aloeng Silalahi as YonB. Fans of the wider Monsta universe will also want to keep their eyes peeled for appearances by Nurfathiah Diaz (BoBoiBoy) and Dzubir Mohammed Zakaria (Gopal).
The Road to Netflix US
If you feel like you’ve seen this title floating around social media for a while, you aren’t going crazy. Papa Zola The Movie initially dropped on Netflix on July 1st, 2026. However, as is often the case with licensed international animation, that initial rollout was strictly limited to select Asian territories, including Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Japan, and South Korea.
Despite an English-dubbed international trailer making the rounds in August, Western audiences were left completely in the dark regarding a local release.
Thankfully, the licensing window has finally expanded. Papa Zola The Movie will join a stacked lineup of first-of-the-month arrivals on Netflix US and other regions including the United Kingdom on Tuesday, December 1st, 2026. Both the original Malay audio and the English dub are expected to be available upon launch.
This is the latest animated movie pickup from Malysia with Netflix having streamed Dongeng Sang Kancil last year.
For more on what’s coming to Netflix in the final month of the year, keep it locked to our master list of December 2026 Netflix releases, which we’ll be updating reguarly as new titles are announced.
Are you excited to finally check out Papa Zola The Movie on Netflix in December? Let us know in the comments below!
