The biggest movie in Netflix history is getting the big screen treatment for its sequel. KPop Demon Hunters 2 will get a full theatrical release, according to The Hollywood Reporter, marking one of the clearest signs yet that the streamer is changing how it handles its biggest films.
The news was tucked into a report published yesterday about the exit of Netflix film chief Dan Lin, who left the company earlier this week. According to the trade, Lin helped secure full theatrical releases for the sequel, though the final call belonged to co-CEO Ted Sarandos. Netflix has not officially announced the plan yet.
A Big Change From The First Movie
The original KPop Demon Hunters never got a traditional theatrical run. The Sony Pictures Animation film premiered straight to Netflix in June of last year and became the streamer's most-watched original movie ever, with 325.1 million views in its first 90 days and 63 straight weeks in the Global Top 10.
Theaters came later, and almost as an experiment. Two months after the film's streaming debut, a sing-along version took the No. 1 spot at the weekend box office with an estimated $19 million over two days, even without AMC on board. Netflix brought it back for another short run around Halloween. Then came awards season, where the film won the Oscars for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song for "Golden."
For a company that spent years limiting theatrical runs to what it needed for awards qualification, that kind of success was hard to ignore.
What Sarandos Has Said
Sarandos has already signaled the plan in public. Speaking at Bloomberg Screentime in Los Angeles at the end of last month (September 30th), he described a new approach that treats art house titles and big family movies differently.
"We're going to do a big wide release for Narnia next year, and then we'll do a big wide release for Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory at the end of the year. We think they'll do great, and when the KPop Demon Hunters sequel comes, you can expect a very broad theatrical release," he said.
He also explained the reasoning, saying the films that get the widest theatrical launches should have the potential for a very big upside at the box office. "So, for Narnia, for KPop Demon Hunters, that's why they're gonna get big, broad, global release," Sarandos added.
Netflix Is Leaning Into Theaters
The sequel joins a growing list of Netflix films heading to cinemas first. Cannes winner La Bola Negra is getting the streamer's most robust theatrical release so far, and Netflix is reporting its box office numbers. Greta Gerwig's Narnia: The Magician's Nephew is set for an exclusive run of roughly seven weeks early next year, with Netflix handling North America and Sony handling international distribution. Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory follows with a wide release in late 2027.
Lin's exit comes at an interesting time, amid a wider leadership shake-up at Netflix, with chief content officer Bela Bajaria also let go last week. According to The Hollywood Reporter, a commitment to more theatrical releases could even be a key factor for whoever takes over Netflix's film division next.
The Sequel So Far
Netflix and Sony officially confirmed KPop Demon Hunters 2 in March, with directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans returning to write and direct. The film launches the duo's new exclusive multi-year deal with Netflix across animation.
"There's so much more to this world we have built and I'm excited to show you. This is only the beginning," Kang said when the sequel was announced.
Story details have not been revealed, but Rumi, Mira and Zoey of Huntr/x are set to return. The sequel is expected in 2029, which gives Netflix plenty of time to plan what could be its biggest theatrical launch yet.
Do you think KPop Demon Hunters 2 can be a major box office hit, or will most fans still wait to watch it on Netflix?
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