KPop Demon Hunters 2 hasn’t been officially announced, but there’s a solid chance it could happen, and many think it might not end up on Netflix. The beloved animated movie follows a K-pop girl group as they juggle their music careers with a secret life as demon hunters. With the movie’s success, there are chances that Sony may take the sequel to another distributor or go for a theatrical release to better capitalize on its follow-up. Here are the details.
Could KPop Demon Hunters 2 be released in theaters instead of Netflix?
There are chances that KPop Demon Hunters 2 could be released in theaters, as its prequel was widely loved and successful. Although Netflix distributed the current film, it’s not bound by another follow-up. So, Sony could choose another distributor or go for a theatrical release to better monetize on its success.
KPop Demon Hunters 2 hasn’t been announced, but Puck reported that there are talks with directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans for its sequel. The current movie’s deal reportedly happened during the pandemic, so Sony must have felt it was best to stick with Netflix. This is because the movie theater industry was unstable, and the revenue seemed uncertain back then. Therefore, for financial security, Sony signed a deal with Netflix, which earned it roughly $20 million from this movie. This enabled it to get a favorable income.
The movie, upon its release earlier this year, turned out to be a great hit, becoming instantly a fan-favorite. So, considering the reception it got, the movie could have earned more in the theaters. With the pandemic now gone, Sony has the choice to explore potential options for its follow-up beyond Netflix. It could reach out to another distributor or go for a theatrical release to restore the money it lost on the predecessor due to restrictive situations. The latter option seems to be most favorable, given the movie evidently has a solid demand. This year, it sold out over 300 screenings for its upcoming two-day limited theatrical event. So, looking at this, Sony could profit massively if it releases its sequel in theaters and then gets it to streaming.
Now, it remains to be seen where the makers decide to release the potential second installment of KPop Demon Hunters, once it gets renewed.
