KUALA LUMPUR – Academy Award-nominated actress Florence Pugh has revealed her personal experience filming atop Merdeka 118, describing it as having a “relationship” with Southeast Asia’s tallest building during the production of Marvel’s upcoming film Thunderbolts.
Speaking in an interview with Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC), the British star shared that she spent just a few days at the iconic 679-metre skyscraper, including one day for rehearsals and another for filming.
Portraying Yelena Belova, Pugh explained how she had to mentally prepare herself for an intense stunt – one that involved jumping from the top of the towering structure.
“I had this relationship with the building. For the few days that I was there where I would just be like having internal conversations and just like really coming at peace with what I was about to do,” she said.
Beyond the stunt, Pugh also expressed her admiration for Malaysia, saying she hopes to return for a longer stay, especially to explore local cuisine. She plans to incorporate a Malaysian dish into her Instagram cooking series, Cooking with Flo.
“The food was insane. I need to learn some of the best dishes but I will 100% try and do something on Cooking with Flo with a Malaysian dish,” she added.
Apart from Merdeka 118, scenes for the film were also shot around Kuala Lumpur, including at Medan Pasar – a location featured in the film’s trailer.
The capital briefly became a Marvel backdrop in June 2024, as filming for Thunderbolts brought a buzz to the city centre. The film, which subverts the traditional superhero narrative by focusing on a team of antiheroes on government missions, is set to hit cinemas nationwide tomorrow (May 1).
Directed by Jake Schreier, Thunderbolts features a star-studded ensemble including Sebastian Stan, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, David Harbour, Harrison Ford, Rachel Weisz, and Olga Kurylenko.
While produced by Marvel Studios under Walt Disney, the local shoot was facilitated by Malaysian production company Biscuit Films – known for its work on Crazy Rich Asians, Blackhat, and Marco Polo. When approached last week, the company declined to comment, citing non-disclosure agreements.
According to National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) chairman Datuk Kamil Othman, the production did not qualify for the Film in Malaysia Incentive (FIMI) as the shoot lasted fewer than 14 days. Nonetheless, he welcomed the filmmakers’ decision to use Malaysia as a filming location.
“By coming here to shoot, there’s evidence Malaysia still has locations international companies look for,” said Kamil. “The last survey we did showed that by shooting in Malaysia, they will be generating 2.36 times the economic contribution by spending on local amenities and creating jobs – albeit on jobs that aren’t too technical – for the industry.”
Thunderbolts will be the 36th instalment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which has grossed over US$3 billion (RM14.16 billion) globally. – April 30, 2025