Aug. 22 to 24 was, without a doubt, the weekend of KPop Demon Hunters. Worldwide, the animated singing sensation was everywhere, from Vue Cinemas in the UK to Regal and Cinemark Theatres, along with Alamo Drafthouse, in the United States. And according to the Hollywood Reporter, it scored big, raking in $18 to $20 million from 1,700 North American theaters.
Due to Netflix not reporting box office numbers, the exact gross hasn’t been published, and there’s a doubt it ever will. Because of that, Warner Bros’ Weapons will appear to be the victor of the weekend, with the Hollywood Reporter stating that it earned $15.6 million from 3,631 cinemas.
But no matter how you slice it, this was Netflix’s first major box office win. And I doubt that the streaming giant is going to let this victory become a one-time thing — especially with them owning the distribution rights to the franchise. Considering that the demand is clearly high, I wouldn’t be surprised if KPop Demon Hunters returned for yet another theatrical visit.
KPop Demon Hunters follows fictional girl-group HUNTR/X who, alongside being a KPop band by day, destroy pesky and dangerous demons by night. They seek to restore the world’s Honmoon, a magical barrier that protects the world from demons, with their voices, giving people hope and sealing away the demonic entities. However, things take a turn for the worse when the SAJA BOYS, a rival KPop band made up of demons, appear to wreak havoc.
Since its release on Netflix in June, KPop Demon Hunters has become a cultural phenomenon, with over 158.8 million views and even hitting a major milestone that hasn’t been accomplished by a girl-group since Destiny’s Child: taking the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with its scorching summer hit “Golden.”
Netflix has already started referring to the demon-slaying animation as “its very own Frozen.” A franchise and sequel for KPop Demon Hunters is almost certainly being talked about. There’s even talk that the film will surpass the streaming juggernaut’s Red Note as Netflix’s most-watched original film ever.
