Viva Films announced on Sunday that its Philippine adaptation of “Pee Mak” had officially surpassed the ₱100 million mark in total gross sales at the domestic box office.
Directed by Victor Villanueva and starring Wilbert Ross and Bea Binene, the horror-comedy reached the milestone during its third week in cinemas, following its October 14 theatrical release.
On X, formerly Twitter, Viva Films thanked moviegoers for supporting the film, announcing that it had reached ₱100 million in gross sales and was entering its third blockbuster week.
Ross also expressed his gratitude to fans for helping the film achieve the milestone. The actor previously celebrated its initial ₱40 million gross, thanking moviegoers and fan communities for their support.
In an earlier social media post, Ross also emphasized the importance of supporting Filipino productions, saying that stronger audience support gives producers more opportunities to invest in local films and create more jobs for people in the industry.
Binene also thanked moviegoers for supporting Philippine cinema and “for all the love.”
The box-office achievement is a significant milestone for the WilBea love team, whose first big-screen collaboration brings together the two actors following their work on Viva One series “Golden Scenery of Tomorrow” and “Love U Lots.” It has fueled hopes among fans of WilBea for another project featuring the on-screen couple.
A Filipino take on the Thai horror-comedy
The Philippine adaptation reimagines the 2013 Thai blockbuster starring Mario Maurer and Davika Hoorne, which became Thailand’s highest-grossing domestic film of all time.
Ross plays Mak, a soldier who returns home from war with his four friends to reunite with his wife, Pee-nang, played by Binene, and their newborn child. However, Mak’s companions begin noticing strange things about his wife, eventually discovering a frightening truth that Mak himself remains unaware of.
The supporting cast includes Vandolph as Teryo, Jairus Aquino as Ayong, TJ Valderrama as Poknat, and Gian Bernardino as Bunak, Mak’s four soldier friends. The ensemble also features Janno Gibbs, Candy Pangilinan, and Jerome Ponce.
Villanueva and his team incorporated Filipino beliefs and folklore into the adaptation while retaining recognizable elements of the original story.
In an interview with The Freeman, the director explained that they introduced local supernatural elements, including the belief that a soul remains in the body for 40 days, as well as the tikbalang and tiyanak.
Binene also pointed to familiar Filipino traditions and games featured in the movie, including Pinoy Henyo and harana, or traditional courtship serenades.
“That’s what makes our film very Filipino,” the actress said.
The director also allowed the cast to improvise during comedic scenes, helping bring together their different styles of humor.
Despite the expectations surrounding a remake of such a successful Thai production, the team hoped to give Filipino audiences a version they could relate to and take pride in.
With its ₱100 million box-office milestone, the Philippine adaptation of “Pee Mak” gives the WilBea pairing another significant achievement on the big screen.
This article was written with the help of AI and was reviewed and edited by the Hallyu Dorama team.