KPop Demon Hunters is one of the most popular movies of the past decade and even became Netflix's most-watched film ever. Currently, it's been streamed more than 325 million times, which is 100 million times more than the movie in second place, Red Notice.
However, in spite of all of this, Sony Pictures boss Ravi Ahuja doesn't think the movie would have been as successful if it was released in theaters. Speaking to Variety, he said: "It seems very obvious now, but at the time it was first being developed in 2021, Netflix felt like the right home, and I'd argue it really was the right home. I mean, if you look at the trajectory of K-Pop Demon Hunters, it didn't start that strong, but it built over time."
He continued: "So the Netflix platform really helped to build K-Pop Demon Hunters. Had it been theatrical, I mean, boy, this is such a hypothetical. Who knows if it would have had a big opening weekend? But it’s done incredibly well on Netflix."
It's true that as an original IP, the movie was really boosted by word of mouth success. During its first week on the streaming platform back in June 2025, it clocked in nine million views and landed in the second spot on the movies chart. The following week this climbed to 24 million, and it sat around there for several months, sticking in the top 10 for 63 consecutive weeks.
This all suggests that it's the film's longevity that has been a contributing factor in its groundbreaking success, which couldn't be replicated in the same way in theaters. However, KPop Demon Hunters did have a good theatrical run when a special singalong version was released, topping Netflix's box office history.
A sequel to the hugely popular movie is in development, but it's not expected to be released until at least 2029. For more upcoming movies, here's our list of 2026 movie release dates.
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