Merdeka 118, Malaysia’s tallest building and the second-tallest building in the world, is set to make its Hollywood debut in Marvel Studios’ upcoming film, Thunderbolts on 1 May 2025. Filmed in August 2024, the movie features actress Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova leaping from the 678.9-metre-tall skyscraper in a breath-taking action sequence that captures sweeping views of Kuala Lumpur’s skyline.

The thrilling stunt puts Malaysia’s iconic Merdeka 118 on the global stage, sparking pride and excitement among local audiences who will recognise the striking silhouette of their city’s landmark on the big screen. Viewers will also get a glimpse of familiar faces in scenes filmed across Kuala Lumpur, as Marvel Studios worked with local production teams and talents, including Malaysian actress Syaza Atheera.

“The stunts for this film were an incredible team effort. We consulted with Malaysian engineering firms to ensure the stunt’s safety, especially in how the equipment was designed,” shared Thunderbolts Director Jake Scheier.  “We focused on the base jump first before moving onto the stunt in full. Florence had to perform the stunt fully in character, with no cuts in between — she was so committed and pulled it off perfectly.”

Lighting Up

To commemorate the film’s release,  Merdeka 118 will be lit up with a Thunderbolts theme from 29 April to 1 May. Catch a dazzling nightly light show from 8:00 PM to 12:00 AM. Celebrate Malaysia’s moment in the global spotlight as Merdeka 118 transforms into a towering tribute to Marvel’s most unconventional heroes.

Check out the behind-the-scenes video of the filming of Thunderbolts at Merdeka 118 here.

About Thunderbolts

In Thunderbolts, Marvel Studios assembles an unconventional team of antiheroes—Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster and John Walker. After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap set by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, these disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts.

Will this dysfunctional group tear themselves apart, or find redemption and unite as something much more before it’s too late?

The film stars Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, Lewis Pullman, Geraldine Viswanathan, Chris Bauer and Wendell Pierce, with David Harbour, Hannah John Kamen, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.