The animated movie sensation KPop Demon Hunters has sparked a lively debate in Hollywood: is it a unique phenomenon or the start of a fruitful collaboration between Netflix and theater owners? While many industry insiders lean towards the former, the film's recent two-day sing-along event has generated an impressive box office gross of approximately $18 million to $20 million across 1,700 North American theaters. This figure marks the highest earnings of any movie during the weekend of August 22-24, according to sources within the exhibition industry and rival studios.
Despite this success, Netflix has historically maintained a tumultuous relationship with theatrical exhibitors, often refraining from reporting box office numbers. As a result, the actual earnings of KPop Demon Hunters may never be fully disclosed. On Sunday, Netflix chose not to comment, leaving New Line and Warner Bros. horror film Weapons to claim the official top spot for that weekend with a total of $15.6 million from 3,631 cinemas, bringing its global total close to $200 million.
Regardless of the box office competition, the sing-along event represents a clever marketing strategy by Netflix to promote KPop Demon Hunters while simultaneously engaging both current and potential subscribers. Since its debut in June, this film has rapidly transformed into a cultural phenomenon, edging towards becoming the most-watched English-language film on Netflix, and already claiming the top spot among animated features. Furthermore, its soundtrack has dominated the Billboard 200 chart, with hit songs like “Golden” climbing to the top.
Interestingly, only AMC Theatres, the largest cinema chain in the country, opted out of screening the sing-along version due to its policy against showing films that are simultaneously available for home viewing. In contrast, other major chains like Regal Cinemas, Cinemark Theatres, and Alamo Drafthouse eagerly participated in this event, especially considering the lackluster end to the summer box office season. Reports indicate that theaters had access to the sing-along version solely over the weekend, leading to speculation that Netflix might be using this opportunity to test market interest before releasing the sing-along version on its streaming platform.
The storyline of KPop Demon Hunters is both clever and original, following the adventures of a trio known as Huntr/x, composed of K-pop superstars Rumi (voiced by Arden Cho), Mira (voiced by May Hong), and Zooey (voiced by Ji-young Yoo). These characters lead double lives as skilled demon hunters, tasked with protecting their loyal fans from an ever-looming supernatural threat. Their greatest challenge arises when they face a rival boy band that is actually a group of demons in disguise.
Directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, the animated feature is produced by Sony Pictures Animation and is based on a screenplay crafted by Danya Jimenez, Hannah McMechan, Kang, and Appelhans. The project ultimately found its home at Netflix as part of a broader partnership with Sony Pictures. Recently, Lin, Netflix's movie chief, expressed the company's commitment to discovering “powerful new stories, refreshing new voices, and daring new approaches,” citing KPop Demon Hunters as a prime example of this vision.
Meanwhile, Apple Original Films made headlines over the same weekend, as Joseph Kosinski's sleeper hit, F1: The Original Movie, surpassed the $600 million mark globally, ending the weekend with a total of $603.4 million. Unlike Netflix, Apple has established a cooperative relationship with theater owners, committing to traditional theatrical releases for select titles, including the blockbuster F1, which has become Brad Pitt's highest-grossing film to date.
As the box office landscape continues to evolve, the performance of KPop Demon Hunters and its impact on both streaming and theatrical markets will be closely monitored. With the film's infectious appeal and strategic marketing, it may well signify a new era for Netflix and its collaboration with theaters, paving the way for future animated features and franchises.
