5 Aug – Malaysian comedian, actor and director, Afdlin Shauki will be working with "Star Wars" art director, Roger Christian for the latter's new movie about the death of a thousand British and Australian soldiers in the Sandakan Death March that took place during World War II in Sabah. The upcoming movie will be overseen by the National Film Development Corporation (FINAS). Datuk Affendi Hamdan, Chairman of FINAS said that the project received a RM1 million launching grant from the Goverment and was funded another RM2 million from the corporation itself, as reported by The Star. Serving as unit director and producer along with Seers and Vision Works, Afdlin also said that the balance of the production budget will be taken from local funding. During the Pacific Campaign of World War II, a series of forced marches in Borneo from Sandakan to Ranau resulted in the deaths of thousands of British and Australian prisoners of war that were held captive by the Empire of Japan.
The incident was infamously known as the 'Sandakan Death March' The Star also reported that "Wolverine actor", Hugh Jackman from the "X-Men" franchise was offered a role in the movie. The movie is expected to be completed within a year and targets to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in 2016.