FROM the moment the gates opened, the mood shifted. Nervous laughter, unsure steps, and a quiet tension ran through the crowd.
With every step deeper into Sunway Lagoon, lights flicker, shadows twitch and a strange kind of electricity charges the air.
That’s when you know, Nights of Fright 11 has begun.
Now in its eleventh year, Malaysia’s biggest Halloween event is back and this time, it’s not just darker it’s twisted. From its humble beginnings in 2013 as Malaysia’s first large-scale Halloween festival, Nights of Fright has grown into a cultural phenomenon.
An opening night to remember
The launch event wasn’t just theatrical, it was otherworldly.
The festival kicked off with an eerie ballerina performance, setting the tone for a night that was as artistic as it was horrifying. Then came the ceremonial turning of the “Puppetmaker’s Key,” unlocking a giant music box that sent glowing pink fireworks into the night sky.
The haunting icons of this year’s edition, the Puppetmaker, Hantutu, Hantu Kum Kum and Poh Kong, all made their grand entrance in an extravagant pink hearse, accompanied by music, fog and a few nervous laughs from the crowd.
Among the guests were Sunway Theme Parks Marketing and Business Development Assistant General Manager Michelle Soong and The Sudden Impact! Entertainment Company chief executive officer and founder Lynton V. Harris who also served as the festival’s creative director since the beginning.
“This isn’t just about jump scares anymore. From the start, Nights of Fright was designed to be about storytelling, atmosphere, and creating worlds where folklore and imagination collide.
“Eleven years later, we’re still pushing those boundaries,” Harris said during the official launch on Thursday.
Michelle echoed the sentiment.
“The festival doesn’t just deliver thrills. It drives tourism, nurtures local talent and strengthens Sunway City Kuala Lumpur’s position as one of Asia’s most exciting destinations.
“What makes us proud is knowing that this is a platform for both entertainment and cultural connection,” she said.
Inside the festival of fear
What makes Nights of Fright stand out isn’t just the scale, it’s the way the entire park transforms.
Every space, from haunted houses to walkways, feels like part of a larger story, designed to pull guests deeper into its world of fear. No two visits play out the same, but most leave with at least one scream echoing behind them.
This year’s lineup includes eight haunted houses, each with its own flavour of terror, from the Puppetmaker’s eerie lair and the tropical dread of Tiki Terror, to the frozen tension of The Freezer 2: High Voltage and the chaotic set of Horrorwood Studios.
Local legends take the spotlight too, with Karak: The Kampong Killers and Pontianak X Pocong reviving old fears in new, horrifying ways.
But the standout? Blind Box, the world’s first haunted house inspired by collectible toys. No one knows what’s inside until the doors close.
Outside, the horror doesn’t let up. Fog drifts through three scare zones where performers stalk, whisper and vanish into darkness just as quickly as they appear.
It’s theatre, but without a stage, the kind you walk through, not watch.
And over at the haunted theatre, local actress Nadia Brian brings PontianAxe to life in a twisted retelling of folklore that blurs myth and slasher horror into one beautifully disturbing performance.
Pop culture gets a little possessed
Between the screams, Nights of Fright makes room for the strange and unexpected.
This year’s pop-up collaborations bring quirky layers to the chaos, from Libresse’s feminist twist on Hantu Kum Kum in an immersive escape room, to Poh Kong’s theatrical take on the “villain hitting” ritual and Pop Mart’s eerie-cute photo ops and collectibles.
Even the snacks play along, mystery-flavoured popcorn, spooky-themed food and odd little surprises scattered between live shows and scare zones.
What sets the festival apart is its local soul. It doesn’t just borrow from horror, it reclaims it. Pontianak, Pocong, Hantu Kum Kum, these aren’t just costumes, they’re echoes of stories passed down, now reimagined in full, terrifying form.
Planning your visit?
Nights of Fright 11 runs every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night from Sept 26 to Nov 2.
Tickets start at RM128, which includes one admission ticket and a voucher for mystery-flavoured popcorn. For those who want to skip the long queues, a ticket with express pass is available at RM226.
All tickets are available via the Sunway Super App, official Sunway Lagoon website and other major online platforms.