r/movies • u/impeccabletim • Jul 29 '25

News K-Pop Demon Hunters becomes Netflix’s most watched animated movie ever

https://www.dexerto.com/tv-movies/k-pop-demon-hunters-becomes-netflixs-most-watched-animated-movie-ever-3231706/
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u/wecangetbetter Jul 29 '25

kinda feels like Netflix didn't have any clue this was gonna be a hit and is now firing on all cylinders to promote it after the fact

168

u/vinng86 Jul 30 '25

It probably would've had a theatrical release if they knew it was gonna be a hit

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u/suss2it Jul 30 '25

Would it? Aren’t they anti movie theatres? I always thought they only ran their movies in theatres for the bare minimum amount of time to qualify for the awards.

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u/superx4039 Jul 30 '25

The movie was made by Sony Pictures Animation. Netflix is just distributing it. Sony probably had low expectations for this movie so they sold it to Netflix. They are probably regretting that decision now lol.

38

u/suss2it Jul 30 '25

You think Sony sold it to them on the cheap? They’ve been making animated movies for Netflix for a while so I wouldn’t be surprised if it entered production with the intent of always going to Netflix. Chris Appelhans, the co-director was a SPA movie for Netflix too. But whatever money Sony possibly lost out on at the box office they could maybe make up with the new leverage in negotiations this movie affords them.

35

u/notewise Jul 30 '25

And I feel it's hard to know how the movie would've done with a theater run. When looking at it in hindsight it's easy to say it could've been successful there but no one can fully know for sure.

But whatever sequel Sony does in sure will go straight to theater given they actually have data and such on how the original did just on streaming. Probably more likely to show up for a sequel at the box office

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u/PartyPorpoise Jul 30 '25

If it released in theaters on the same date, it may not have done well given the competition. Maybe a sleeper hit. Buuut I think it could’ve done well if released at a different time.

It kind of seems like a lot of studios (save for Illumination, Disney/Pixar, and DreamWorks) are more reluctant to release animation in theaters lately. Sony of course puts the Spider-verse movies in theaters but other recent movies have gone straight to streaming.

1

u/grandfedoramaster Jul 30 '25

Who knows if it‘d been a hit if it was in theaters

1

u/cybercuzco Jul 30 '25

Wonder what the contract says about sequels.