Netflix Turns Hit Animated Film KPop Demon Hunters Into a Franchise

According to Cinemadrame News Agency, Netflix is turning KPop Demon Hunters into a multi-film franchise. Earlier this week, it was announced that the film had made history on Netflix, becoming the platform’s “most popular animated film ever.”

The film drew 26.3 million viewers in its sixth week of release, following 25.8 million in its fifth week and 24.2 million the week before that—all while ranking in the Top 10 titles across every country on Netflix. Meanwhile, the film’s song “Golden” climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 chart.

According to The Wrap, following this success, Netflix now has several sequels and a live-action adaptation of KPop Demon Hunters in development.

The animated film, recorded in English but set in Seoul, follows three K-pop singers who use the power of their hit songs to fight demons.

Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos said at a recent shareholder meeting that the fantasy musical has been “an extraordinary success from the start,” and that they intend to “keep it going for a long time.” Netflix has called the film its own “Frozen,” and is expected to generate revenue from multiple sequels, a series, and a live-action remake over the coming years. The Wrap also reported that a short film as a “content bridge”—similar to Frozen—is under consideration.

KPop Demon Hunters was first announced in 2021, but details about the project didn’t emerge until two years later, when Tom Rothman stated that Sony Pictures was producing a “K-pop animated musical” for Netflix. The film premiered on June 20, the same day as Pixar’s Elio, which was expected to be a box office hit for Disney but fell short. KPop Demon Hunters did not have a Hollywood premiere or red carpet, but Netflix held limited theatrical screenings in New York and Los Angeles to qualify for the Oscars.

The animation drew 9.2 million viewers in its first week on Netflix, but viewership surged in its second week to 22.7 million.