The first Malaysian team which climbed Mount Everest in 1997 is set to get a media franchise to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the historical event.

Local producers Fullmoon Pictures Sdn Bhd have launched the RM150 million franchise, named 'The SUMMIT-97', which will detail the arduous journey the team faced on their way to the summit, reported Malay Mail.

The journey will be relayed via several mediums, including books, documenteries, animation films, original soundtracks, behind-the-scenes footage, as well as a virtual reality game app, and a feature film titled 'Peak of Heaven', said the report.

M. Magendran, the first Malaysian to reach the summit of the world's highest mountain at 11.55am on May 23, 1997, was among those present during the launching of the franchise recently.

"I was overwhelmed because before this, the most we could do is come up with a book for our 25th anniversary but never did I imagine there's a team working towards making a move out of the 1997 Malaysia-Everest Expedition.

"I think it's something out of the box and looking at the current condition of our nation, I think a multiracial success story is what Malaysia needs at the moment," he told the portal.

Magendran also took pride in being part of the pioneering team which inspired many other young Malaysians to create records in the years that followed.

The film 'Peak of Heaven' will be roping in Academy Award winner A.R Rahman to compose the music, as well as other renowned faces like Australian singer Guy Sebastian, and local actor Henry Golding, to be part of the project.

Also joining the team is award-winning cinematographer Phedon Papamichael, who has worked on films such as Ford vs Ferrari, and Nebraska, among others.

'Peak of Heaven', which is expected to be released in the middle of next year, also aims to set a few Guiness World Records, including being the first South-East Asian film to incorporate the Stagecraft technology to visualise a hyper-realistic atmosphere of Mount Everest in real-time, said the portal.


Source: Malay Mail
Photo source: Malay Mail, The Star