Jack Neo’s Money No Enough 3 has collected a record-breaking $7m over Chinese New Year in Malaysia and Singapore.
The comedy drama, about post-Covid financial woes, stars a trio of Singapore’s most well-known actor-comedians – Neo, Mark Lee and Henry Thia – alongside an ensemble of local celebrities. It had led the box office in both territories since opening on February 1 in Singapore and February 9 in Malaysia as of yesterday (February 28).
With cumulative takings of $3.2m in Singapore, it has become the top performing Asian film since the Covid pandemic in 2020, overtaking Korean blockbuster Train To Busan: Peninsula and Japanese anime Demon Slayer.
It is also notable that the top 10 highest grossing local films of all time in the nation are now either directed or written by Neo, with Money No Enough 3 in seventh place. The original film, 1998’s Money No Enough still ranks fourth with $4.48m (S$6.02m), while 2008’s Money No Enough 2 is sixth with $3.62m (S$4.87m). Each installment of the trilogy stars Neo, Lee and Thia.
In neighbouring Malaysia, the film has earned a cumulative $3.8m, making it the biggest locally produced Chinese-language film from both Singapore and Malaysia.
This Chinese New Year was competitive in Malaysia, with eight Chinese-language films fighting for cinema screens and audience attention. Apart from Money No Enough 3, three were from Hong Kong – Rob N Roll, Table For Six 2 and The Moon Thieves – alongside a further three from Malaysia – All In, Happy Dragons and Rain City – and one from China, The Movie Emperor.
While Money No Enough 3 is expected to continue its run in Malaysian and Singapore cinemas for weeks to come, it will likely concede the top spot this weekend when Hollywood blockbuster Dune 2 opens.
Money No Enough 3 was made on a production budget of $2.08m (S$2.8m), backed by HiJack Pictures and mm2 Entertainment, and produced by Clover Films, J Team Productions and B-01 Films.
It is distributed by Clover Films and Golden Village Pictures in Singapore and by Infinity Pictures and Clover Films in Malaysia. Sky Films will release the film in Taiwan on May 1.
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