The World War II-set creature feature draws inspiration from Malay folklore as well as Creature from the Black Lagoon.
Set in 1942, a Japanese ship transporting prisoners of war to occupied territories for slave labor is torpedoed by allied submarines. Stranded on a deserted island, a Japanese soldier and a British POW soon discover that they are being hunted by a ferocious mythological creature, the Orang Ikan. They realize that they must work together to survive the unknown, despite their differences.
Japanese actor Dean Fujioka (Fullmetal Alchemist) and British actor Callum Woodhouse (All Creatures Great & Small) star along with Alan Maxson (Godzilla: King of the Monsters) as the Orang Ikan.
The Singapore-Indonesia-Japan-UK co-production is written and directed by Mike Wiluan, whose producing credits include Crazy Rich Asians, Hitman: Agent 47, and The Night Comes for Us.
“I’m very proud to have Shudder present the film in territories that have a rich history and appreciation for creature films,” said Wiluan. “The ‘Fish Man’ folklore is a globally recognized phenomenon that has enjoyed several re-incarnations. Orang Ikan is a pan-Asian interpretation of the genre that also questions the nature of humanity during times of war.”
“We were thrilled to work with such a talented and acclaimed team,” added producer Fumie Suzuki Lancaster. “The film has great nail-biting tension from beginning to end combined with plenty of unexpected emotional twists. We believe Orang Ikan has great potential, and we’re confident that audiences around the world will be just as excited.”
Orang Ikan premiered in October at the Tokyo International Film Festival in the Gala Selection.