Fake “Gundala” film poster by graphic designer Iskandar Salim (see story for details) and real poster for 2014’s “Garuda”

During last weekend’s Popcon, veteran film director Hanung Bramantyo announced that his next project would be “Gundala,” a movie based on the classic Indonesian superhero created by comic book artist Harya Suryaminata aka Hasmi back in the 1969.

As quoted on Detik, Hanung said “I want today’s Indonesian kids to know Indonesian superheroes. Because we don’t want to compete with Batman and other foreign superheroes.”

Gondala was part of a wave of Indonesian superheroes that emerged in the 1960s and 70s, many seemingly inspired by their American counterparts. Hasmi’s Gundala, who is known as the “Putra Petir” (Son of Lightning), has superspeed like the Flash and can control lightning (and has wings on his headgear) like Thor.

Creating an Indonesia superhero movie that can compete with the expectations audiences have from Hollywood blockbusters like “The Avengers” and “Man of Steel” will definitely be a tough task, but Hanung seems very aware of that. Although the filmmaking vet has directed 16 movies, they were mostly comedies and religious dramas such as his 2008 hit, “Ayat-Ayat Cinta.”

“This is the biggest challenge I’ve ever faced,” the director said at the film’s Popcon press conference “I am risking my career to direct this. If this film fails, then I really can’t rightly be called a director.”

To help get the look of the film right, Hanung said he would outsource the CGI to a foreign special effects company. “It’s a local film, a local superhero, but it will still have quality animation, like an international movie. That’s what makes them great films. I’m looking at companies in China, Hong Kong and the United States.”

Hanung said the film is set to come out in 2016 but is still in the writing phase. I don’t want to rush things and am still looking at possible actors.”

Gondala won’t be the next Indonesian superhero movie to hit the big screen. That distinction goes to “Garuda,” which is scheduled to be released before the end of the year. Directed and written by filmmaker X-Jo, the movie features an original sci-fi superhero who fights a group of villains with a doomsday weapon capable of destroying the Earth.

The teaser trailer released earlier this year features a hero wearing a suit that bears an uncanny resemblance to the Batsuit (although with more colors and wings instead of a cape) and, seemingly, more CGI special effects that any other Indonesian film has ever attempted.

Garuda still won’t be the first Indonesian superhero movie though – that would actually be the first “Gondala” movie, which was released all the way back in 1983 and featured actor Teddy Purba as the Son of Lightning. Despite its cheesy plot and less-than-impressive special effects, it remains a cult classic (and you can actually watch the entire thing on Youtube right now!).

There were also rumors of a new Gundala film back in 2009, but it turned out to be a hoax perpetrated by graphic designer Iskandar Salim, who produced posters, pictures and even a website for the fake film, hoping to generate interest and get people talking about making a real Indonesian superhero movie.

It looks like Iskandar will get to see two such films in the near future. Let’s hope they are worth the wait.

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