The Sandbox, an evocative feature film currently in production, offers a hilarious and heartfelt portrayal of a struggling stunt training school battling extinction—and, in doing so, becomes a powerful allegory for Singapore’s creative industry. Featuring some of Singapore’s brightest talents, including Benjamin Kheng, Estelle Fly, Nathan Hartono, and Oon Shu An, the ensemble cast is led by celebrated stunt actor and action director Peps Goh.

The Sandbox is a heartfelt and humorous mockumentary-style film that centres on Peps Goh, a former viral action star who runs a modest but passionate training facility for aspiring stunt performers and action actors. Despite his past fame, Peps struggles to keep his dream alive in a society that undervalues physical artistry and niche performance training. Each day, he teaches classes—even if no one shows up—believing deeply in the craft and its ability to empower and protect. Alongside him at the Sandbox are his brother John, John’s ex-wife Min, and Peps’ assistant Ashley. And their will to live, much like their business, is slowly dying.

When an online rumour starts that Marvel Studios is looking to cast their next big superhero film out of Singapore, Peps and his crew are handed an unlikely lifeline and are suddenly swarmed with enthusiastic but wildly unprepared students, all of whom strive for superstardom, for reasons known only to them.

The Sandbox stars an ensemble cast including Peps Goh, Jon Cancio, Oon Shu An, Estelle Fly, Benjamin Kheng, Nathan Hartono, Fauzi Azzhar, Xuan Ong, and Aaron Mossadeg. The Sandbox is written and directed by James Thoo, produced by Anthony Eu, and executive produced by Michelle Chang for Mocha Chai Laboratories (known for her work on the award-winning Wonderland). Louis Tan executive produces.

“It’s the easiest thing in the world to over-romanticise movies. And making them is super hard so I’m going to allow myself the indulgence of romanticising here: I hope that this film inspires some misfit somewhere who feels alone or trapped in their life, to put themselves out there,” says Director James Thoo. “I also hope that the fact, and more specifically, the way that we made this film encourages other overly-romantic people to go and do likewise. Just a bunch of dreamers pulling together and taking care of each other, making something that made us all laugh and feel hopeful about our passions and the arts and the people that we meet there.”

“It’s not often that a project like this comes together so perfectly. This is a film about falling, but never staying down; about laughing through the stumbles and finding strength in the friends who lift you back up. And that spirit didn’t just shape the story onscreen: it defined how we made it. Every frame is a testament to the heart, humour, and resilience of the incredible director, cast, and crew who brought it to life together,” says Producer Anthony Eu.

The cast speak of the film not just as a creative opportunity but a declaration of something larger: survival, sincerity, and artistic truth. “There’s a sense of struggle and also of defiance that runs through this story,” says Benjamin Kheng. “The idea of trying to keep things alive in this country sometimes, it hit us all. It felt very real.”

That reality isn’t fiction for Peps Goh, who co-leads the project both on and off screen. “We put our life savings into this,” he shares. “No grants, no support. We fell through the cracks. It’s a monthly fight to make the overheads.” And yet, he persists, because The Sandbox, like the space it’s named after, is more than a business. It’s a lifeline, a community, and now, a story.

Director James Thoo’s approach to the material resonated strongly with the cast. “He met all of us individually to talk about our characters,” says Oon Shu An. “Who does that anymore? It was so intentional, so respectful. And he let us play. He wrote scripts so tight the commas mattered, but was also open to butt jokes if they worked.”

In this intentionality, a rare creative alchemy unfolded. “It’s lightning in a bottle,” says Aaron Mossadeg. “The environment on set was lovely. Everyone cared deeply, not just about their own work, but about each other’s. You don’t get that often.”

That camaraderie, what Xuan Ong calls “a testament of friendship”, helped turn The Sandbox into more than just a film. It became a rallying point for conversations long overdue in Singapore’s arts scene.

“We’ve always wanted to feel like we belong,” says Fauzi Azzhar. “It’s hard in this space. But The Sandbox brought us together. If not for this, I wouldn’t be working with these amazing people.”

This theme of community, of collective struggle, of art as resistance, reverberates through every line spoken by the cast. “We need to start telling stories that need to be told,” says Fauzi. “Not what we think people want to hear. This story, Peps’ story, it’s real, it’s compelling. It deserves to be told.”

For Shu An, that necessity goes deeper. “The arts are a public good,” she says. “But we treat them like a luxury. It’s always, ‘oh, you’re chasing a passion’ but what about those who chase passion in science, or medicine? Art is a part of being human. And it’s time we stopped devaluing that.”

Jon Cancio agrees. “Creating work that’s undeniable, that’s the goal. Art that’s so good you can’t ignore it. That’s what this is.”

And though the characters in The Sandbox may be fictional, the stakes are not. “There’s always self-doubt,” says Xuan. “Are we just in our own bubble? But seeing everyone come on board… it’s a nice reinforcement that maybe we’re going in the right direction.”

That sentiment is echoed by Peps: “It’s very rare to have a cast willing to be silly, willing to share, ideate for each other. It feels like family. And that’s rare.”

Ultimately, The Sandbox isn’t just a film, it’s a dare. A dare to care. A dare to support stories that may not fit traditional molds but burn with truth, humour, and heart. And a dare to imagine a Singapore where art isn’t an afterthought, but a core part of who we are.

“Support local” isn’t just a catchphrase here but a call to arms. “We’ve got to stop thinking about just the bottom line,” Fauzi says. “Tell local stories. Tell real stories. People will care if we care.”

And if the laughter, chaos, and raw honesty pouring out of The Sandbox are any indication, Singapore has more than enough stories worth telling.

The Sandbox is written and directed by James Thoo, produced by Anthony Eu, and executive produced by Michelle Chang for Mocha Chai Laboratories (known for her work on the award-winning Wonderland). Louis Tan also serves as executive producer.

As Peps Goh says with gratitude, “Shout out to Mocha Chai. They saw the video and just said, ‘Let’s do it.’ That’s rare. They believed in the heart of it. And now, here we are.”

Principal photography is underway at the Sandbox Training Ground at Raeburn Park and locations across Singapore. Post-production is scheduled through end 2025, with expected delivery of the film by early 2026. Film festival plans include submitting to SGIFF, Busan, SXSW, TIFF, TriBeCa