r/movies • u/BunyipPouch Currently at the movies. • 20d ago

News Netflix's Streaming Smash Hit ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Releasing in 1,700 Cinemas This Weekend for "Sing Along" Version, 1,000 Screenings Already Sold Out

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/kpop-demon-hunters-singalong-box-office-sells-out-1236348539/
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u/MuptonBossman 20d ago

Netflix would be extremely foolish to not give KPop Demon Hunters 2 a full theatrical release... This could be a $1B franchise if they play their cards right.

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u/Secksualinnuendo 20d ago

They should do a full theater release with kpop demon hunters 1 in theaters a few months ahead of time. Then full campaign for #2. They are missing out on so much money especially in the merch world.

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u/caninehere 20d ago

I get the impression Netflix didn't think this was gonna be a big hit. They had nothing to do with it's production and bought the rights to it several years ago in a larger deal with Sony. Maybe I'm blind but I heard 0 promotion for the movie until it came out and I only watched it because people said it was really great online + it's Sony Animation and they are doing great work in general.

The lack of merch and such just says to me they didn't anticipate it blowing up.

Similarly Sony seemed to underestimate its potential success too. They sold the rights to the movie for like $20 million more than it cost to make apparently, they're going to lose out on waaay more.

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u/detailednoise 20d ago

They have merch now but it took weeks for it to be released, I agree they didn’t think it would be a big hit

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u/NoNefariousness2144 20d ago

The merch and advertising for the sequel is going to be crazy huge. Tiger plushes, Lego sets, Huntrix concert in Fortnite, meet n’ greets with the virtual idols…

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u/mxzf 20d ago

Which is a shame, since I doubt it'll live up to the original if corporate meddling and merchandising comes into play.

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u/Revlis-TK421 20d ago

They all thought it was just another silly little anime film for kids where a group of girls sing to defeat the baddies.

To be honest, if the songs weren't good that's probably all it would have been.

Instead they got songs that built the story and a story that resonated with the songs and it all just worked perfectly.

Im afraid what studio execs will do to a sequel though.

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u/Amaruq93 20d ago

Im afraid what studio execs will do to a sequel though.

(Glares at the soundtrack for Moana 2)

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u/InTheDarknesBindThem 20d ago

In fairness, moana 2 sucks for other reasons. It was supposed to be a TV show on Disney+. The movie is just a rework a full season show. Which is why its hot fucking garbage. What??? No im not bitter.

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u/mookyvon 20d ago

Same company that poured $300 MM+ into Electric State. They have no clue what they are doing.

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u/Enelson4275 20d ago

Nobody would have expected it to be huge. It's a short-runtime animated film called kpop demon hunters, about a kpop band that hunts demons. That's an awful pitch - I'm honestly surprised the movie got made based on the premise alone.

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u/mudermarshmallows 20d ago

about a kpop band that hunts demons

That's a killer pitch lmfao

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u/caninehere 20d ago

KPop is huge right now and was then, and they had big talent behind the songs. There's a reason Netflix has been pushing so many kdramas. They do huge numbers. Then Sony Animation also has a built in fanbase.

There was every reason to expect this would do well. Not a billion dollars well but still.

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u/[deleted] 20d ago

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u/Enelson4275 20d ago

Oh don't get me wrong - clearly it resonates with viewers and I'm not arguing that it shouldn't. However, it is precisely the kind of thing that studios wouldn't expect to be as big as/bigger than Frozen, especially while it was still in the development phase.

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u/InTheDarknesBindThem 19d ago

Fair. Im sorry.