Is the animated film sensation KPop Demon Hunters a unicorn or the start of a good looking new friendship between Netflix and theater homeowners?
Most in Hollywood are betting on the previous although a particular two-day sing-along occasion of the hit animated film grossed a chart-topping $17 million to $18 million from 1,700 North American theaters over the Aug. 22-24 weekend, in keeping with estimates supplied early Monday by exhibition sources and rival studios with entry to sure knowledge. On Sunday, estimates had been barely larger, or $18 million to $20 million (one supply continues to consider Demon Hunters tracked down near $19 million).
However since Netflix — which has had a turbulent relationship with exhibitors — doesn’t report field workplace, nobody will ever know the precise quantity, nor will the movie be included on Comscore’s official field workplace chart (Comscore is the official receptacle for field workplace grosses, and should abide by its consumer’s needs).
As an alternative, New Line and Warner Bros.’ horror sensation Weapons is listed because the official winner of the Aug. 22-24 body with $15.4 million from 3,631 cinemas in its third outing for a horrifyingly spectacular world cume of practically $200 million, or $199.2 million, by means of Sunday.
Both means, the sing-along was a superb transfer on the a part of Netflix in persevering with to advertise Demon Hunters and hold its subscribers glad, in addition to make a play for brand new subs (the movie is just about assured to spawn a franchise). Sources say cinemas had been solely allowed entry to the sing-along on Saturday and Sunday, prompting hypothesis that Netflix used the theatrical occasion as a advertising stunt prematurely of dropping the identical sing-along model on the service. They had been proper. Hours after this story revealed, Netflix introduced the sing-along model would hit the streamer on Monday.
Since debuting in June on the streamer, KPop Demon Hunters — produced by Sony Photos Animation and costing $100 million to provide — remodeled right into a cultural phenomenon. It’s inside shouting distance of turning into No. 1 on Netflix’s all-time checklist of most watched English-language movies after already hovering to the highest of the animated checklist, whereas its soundtrack has spent a number of weeks within the prime 10 of the Billboard 200 chart, with a number of of its songs, led by “Golden,” additionally taking pictures to the highest of the charts.
Solely AMC Theatres, the nation and world’s largest circuit, refused to play the sing-along consistent with its normal coverage of not enjoying films which can be within the dwelling. Regal Cinemas and Cinemark — the nation’s two largest circuits behind AMC Theatres — together with Alamo Drafthouse and quite a few different circuits had been all sport to seize a bit of the motion, contemplating the summer season field workplace is ending on a low be aware.
The movie’s intelligent, authentic storyline facilities on the adventures of Huntr/x, a trio comprised of Okay-pop superstars Rumi (Arden Cho), Mira (Could Hong) and Zooey (Ji-young Yoo) who use their secret identities as badass demon hunters to guard their followers from an ever-present supernatural risk. Collectively, they have to face their greatest enemy but — an irresistible rival boy band of demons in disguise. Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans directed the animated characteristic for Sony Photos Animation, based mostly on a screenplay by Danya Jimenez, Hannah McMechan, Kang and Appelhans. The venture finally landed at Netflix as half of a bigger cope with Sony Photos.
Netflix film chief Lin not too long ago advised THR that Netflix is all the time “in search of highly effective new tales, refreshing new voices and daring new approaches” of their movies. “KPDH is an ideal instance of this method,” he says, including that he and Netflix’s head of animation, Hannah Minghella, are “thrilled to be supporting Maggie and Chris as filmmakers and Kristine Belson and her workforce at Sony Animation” as their studio companion (Minghella used to work with Belson at Sony).
Apple Authentic Movies additionally made field workplace headlines over the weekend, as Joseph Kosinski’s sleeper summer season blockbuster F1: The Film zoomed previous the $600 million mark globally to complete Sunday with a world cume of $603.4 million. In contrast to Netflix, Apple is now working intently with theater homeowners in committing to launch choose titles for a standard theatrical run, comparable to F1, which has develop into Brad Pitt’s greatest movie of all time. It’s additionally the top-grossing sports activities pic of all time, in keeping with the filmmakers.
With out its personal distribution equipment in place, Apple should depend on third-party companions to launch its titles. Within the case of F1, it was Warners. At the start of the yr, the studio’s movie empire was struggling badly however has since made a exceptional comeback underneath the management of Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy. Motion pictures feeding the increase embody A Minecraft Film, Sinners and, most not too long ago, Weapons (it additionally will get to take a certain quantity of credit score for F1‘s success, which it helped market along with distributing). Nobody might have predicted that F1 would earn just about as a lot as DC Studios and Warner Bros.’ Superman, which crossed the $600 million mark on Friday. The superhero pic, directed by DC Studios co-head James Gunn, completed Sunday with $604.5 million.
Abroad, Weapons earned one other $13.2 million for a international tally of $83.5 million. Its home whole is $115.9 million.
In accordance with Comscore’s home chart — which doesn’t embody Demon Hunters — Disney’s Freakier Friday held at No. 2 in its third outing with $9.2 million from 3,675 places for a world cume of $112.3 million.
Marvel and Disney’s The Improbable 4: First Steps got here in third domestically with $5.9 million for a tepid worldwide tally of $490.1 million.
Common and DreamWorks Animation’s The Unhealthy Guys 2 rounded out the highest 5 with $5.1 million from 3,288 theaters. Its world haul is $149.1 million.
Amongst new nationwide choices, Focus Options’ specialty pic Honey Don’t! opened in eighth place with $3 million from 1,300 places. Whereas it was according to expectations, it’s nonetheless a poor begin for a movie directed by Ethan Coen. Starring Margaret Qualley from a script he wrote with Tricia Cooke, his spouse, the movie follows a small-town non-public investigator making an attempt to unravel a collection of deaths tied to a mysterious church. Aubrey Plaza, Charlie Day, Billy Eichner and Chris Evans co-star.
Bleecker Avenue’s indie pic Relay, a gritty company whistleblowing thriller from director David MacKenzie, additionally struggled in its debut. Starring Riz Ahmed, Lily James and Sam Worthington, the film opened in tenth place with $1.9 million from 1,483 theaters.
In what could have been a case of dangerous timing, A24’s debut of the English-language model of the Chinese language animated blockbuster Ne Zha 2 fell flat, debuting to simply $1.5 million from 2,208 theaters to fall outdoors of the highest 10 chart. Not that the film is hurting total — the household movie is the top-grossing title of 2025 to this point with greater than $2.2 billion in worldwide ticket gross sales.
Field workplace pundits say the dubbed model, voiced by Michelle Yeoh, was possible dinged by Demon Hunters. However the larger motive could possibly be that the unique model of the movie already performed in North America, incomes greater than $21 million earlier this yr.
Aug. 24, 10:50 p.m.: Up to date with further particulars about sing-along occasion hitting Netflix.
Aug. 25, 11:45 p.m.: Up to date with revised estimates.