Sony Animation Bosses Tease a “K-Pop Demon Hunters” Sequel
Move over, “Red Notice.” There is a new king of the streaming mountain, and it’s got way better choreography. If you have been living under a rock (or perhaps trapped in a demon dimension without Wi-Fi), you might have missed the news that “K-Pop Demon Hunters” has officially become the most-watched original movie in Netflix history. We are talking about a staggering 236 million views, dethroning the Ryan Reynolds and Dwayne Johnson action-comedy that held the top spot for what felt like an eternity.
People Adore the Story
But unlike that film, people are actually demanding more of this one because they love the story, not just because the algorithm auto-played it while they were folding laundry. Naturally, with numbers that big, the industry machine is waking up. We finally have concrete news regarding a sequel to the animated juggernaut.
The Record-Breaking Success of K-Pop Demon Hunters
To say this movie was a “hit” is the understatement of the decade. It wasn’t just the streaming numbers that blew executives away. The film’s original soundtrack pulled off something historically wild by landing four songs in the Billboard Top 10 simultaneously. That has literally never happened in the history of the Hot 100.
Sony Pictures Animation (SPA) presidents Kristine Belson and Damien de Froberville recently sat down with The Hollywood Reporter to discuss this absolute phenomenon. They revealed that the success was so undeniable that Netflix broke its own “we hate movie theaters” rule to host a sing-along release. And guess what? It topped the domestic box office during its limited run. It beat out traditional studio summer holdovers, proving that the hunger for this universe is very, very real.
Sony and Netflix Are Officially In Talks
So, what about the sequel? According to Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, Sony and Netflix are officially in early talks to get the band back together. Yes!
This is a fascinating turn of events because the first film was produced under a specific licensing deal where Sony makes movies for Netflix. Rumor has it Sony “only” netted about $20 million in profit from the first flick. Now that they have the biggest movie on the platform, you can bet the negotiations for “K-Pop Demon Hunters 2” are going to look a little different. Sony holds all the creative cards here – and Netflix needs this franchise to keep subscribers happy.
What Will The Sequel Be About?
While we don’t have a script yet, we have some serious hints from the creative team. Co-director Maggie Kang dropped some crumbs in a recent interview, noting that the first movie was primarily Rumi’s story.
“We’ve set up so much for potential backstory,” Kang said, speaking to EW. She hinted that a sequel would likely dive deep into the histories of fellow group members Zoey and Mira. Apparently, those backstories were written for the first film but were cut because they just didn’t fit the 85-minute runtime.
Also, for those of us still heartbroken over Jinu – Arden Cho, the voice of Rumi, has gone on record saying she wants Rumi to try and save him in the next installment. Sure, he’s “dead,” but in a world of magical demon boys and neon-soaked fantasy battles, death is usually just a suggestion.
When Can We Expect The K-Pop Demon Hunters Sequel?
Here is the bad news, folks. Animation takes a long time. Like, a really long time.
When asked if a sequel would be ready by 2029, SPA president Kristine Belson practically laughed it off. The studio is currently swamped with other massive projects, including the Steph Curry-produced basketball film “GOAT” (starring Caleb McLaughlin) and the pressure-cooker that is “Beyond the Spider-Verse.”
So, while it is officially happening, don’t hold your breath for a release date anytime soon. Bummer, we know. We might be waiting a while, but if the quality is anywhere near the first one, it’ll be worth the wait.
