The success of K-pop’s Demon Hunters has been one of the stories of the summer. Of course, Lilo & Stitch was the highest-grossing film at the domestic box office. Yes, Superman did well enough to launch the DC universe. And, of course, it was incredible to see an original genre film like Guns clean up. But above all, it’s the animated musical that became not only Netflix’s biggest movie of all time, but also a single-weekend box office hit that history will remember with the most interest.
Especially since Sony sold the film to Netflix.
It’s been well documented, but in 2021, Sony and Netflix struck a deal in which Sony sold Netflix a handful of different projects, including K-pop’s Demon Hunters . Netflix then owned the rights, paid for it to be completed, and then added it to its service. Very quickly after the film’s June premiere, its success and appeal became incredibly obvious. And this week, Sony Pictures CEO Ravi Ahuja reflected back on the studio’s decision to take a huge hit.
“Obviously, in retrospect, it’s a huge success,” Ahuja said at a conference reported by The Wrap . “It was during the pandemic. It’s a very specific film, with a K-pop theme. Netflix paid the entire cost, plus a profit premium. At the time, it made sense. But now you look at the success and think maybe it could have been theatrical.”
But would it have been such a big hit in theaters without its airtime? We wrote about it, and Ahuja isn’t so sure. “It started on Netflix, and word of mouth grew. In theaters, it’s much harder to do,” Ahuja said. “I think it had the right home. I think Kpop’s Demon Hunters’ Casta had the right home on Netflix, but it’s an interesting question: could it have been theatrical? It’s hard to say. It’s possible, but I don’t think it’s as obvious.”
What’s even less clear now is how the companies will handle the fallout: the soundtrack’s success, inevitable sequels, spinoffs, and live-action remakes. All of this is in the works, and Sony and Netflix will be involved in some way.
Kpop Demon Hunters is streaming on Netflix like you didn’t know.
Want more news from io9? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek slates, what’s next for the DC Universe in film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
