KPop Demon Hunters (2025)

[RocShemp]

It must really suck to be a Sony executive tied to this movie right now. Apparently the deal they brokered with Netflix is such that little to no money the film makes in its limited theatrical run goes to Sony. But to further rub salt in the wound, the executives at Sony Music passed on the soundtrack for this movie and it is now in the hands of one of their chief rivals, Universal Music Group. Pretty much every track in the soundtrack is currently a chart topper.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=rACA1yLB3jg

[RocShemp]

And here's how the Netflix deal went down.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=recYNlTRhqY

[MuffinMcFluffin]

I hope it goes to show studios to trust their projects, and trust the theatrical process. There will be losses, but there will be more wins.

I'm hoping Coyote vs. Acme has the same success.

[Dragon78]

So is the theatrical release the same movie or a sing a long version?

[Hedrox]

Originally Posted by RocShemp

It must really suck to be a Sony executive tied to this movie right now. Apparently the deal they brokered with Netflix is such that little to no money the film makes in its limited theatrical run goes to Sony. But to further rub salt in the wound, the executives at Sony Music passed on the soundtrack for this movie and it is now in the hands of one of their chief rivals, Universal Music Group. Pretty much every track in the soundtrack is currently a chart topper.

Sony has a good relationship with Netflix, a lot of their movies that barely broke even in theaters were turned into small hits thanks to their streaming partnership. They can chalk this one up as them throwing Netflix a bone for their efforts.

Don't think they're going to lose sleep over this particular title anyway, the reason it's making this much money is because it blew up on streaming prior, had Sony released it in theaters from the get go it probably would've bombed.

[MuffinMcFluffin]

Originally Posted by Dragon78

So is the theatrical release the same movie or a sing a long version?

It sounds like it's a sing-along version.

Originally Posted by Hedrox

Don't think they're going to lose sleep over this particular title anyway, the reason it's making this much money is because it blew up on streaming prior, had Sony released it in theaters from the get go it probably would've bombed.

The first week, maybe. But with word of mouth, OST and YT song releases, and eventually hitting streaming on the back end, this would've soared and stayed in Sony's pocket in the long run.

[Bubbles-11]

[Zeether]

Is there ANY chance of this getting a Blu-ray? I can't believe Sony screwed this over by giving it to Netflix...I don't want the physical release chances to be zero because of it.

[BLMN]

Originally Posted by Dragon78

So is the theatrical release the same movie or a sing a long version?

It's the sing along.

[BluBonnet]

[cinemaphile]

I would LOVE to see this movie in a movie theater on the big screen, but there is no way in HELL I am going to a sing-along screening and listening to sh!tty audience members singing and participating.

They couldn't give us like ONE non-singalong screening??

[cinemaphile]

Originally Posted by Zeether

Is there ANY chance of this getting a Blu-ray? I can't believe Sony screwed this over by giving it to Netflix...I don't want the physical release chances to be zero because of it.

To paraphrase Huntr/x, the chances are pretty much None, None, None.

[ckyllr]

They'd better utilize this opportunity to sell as much merch as possible! Netflix had no idea how explosive this franchise was going to take off. I can see everyone dressing up as these characters during Halloween this year. I bet costumes will be hard to come by but at least there are so many characters choose from unlike Frozen where everyone wanted to be Elsa.

[XavierTheaterPotato]

The Mitchells vs The Machines got one, also made by Sony, but that was an impromptu streaming release due to the pandemic. No clue if that has any bearing on this ever getting a Blu ray release and Netflix has made exceptions to some films, even though they're deathly allergic to giving stuff like this a Blu ray.

Also I'd think a Sing along screening would be fun to go to. I can't sadly, but like, the movie has been out for two months, people know the songs. And at least singing out loud is the intended experience here, as opposed to Chicken Jockey for Minecraft.

[BluBonnet]

Netflix won’t release official numbers, but industry estimates show this as the #1 movie for the weekend with about $18m.

AMC missed out on a good deal!!

[Britnasty]

AMC deserves to suffer with the bad business decisions they keep making.

[MuffinMcFluffin]

In the theater right now, previews still playing. It's 65% full (mostly the front two rows unoccupied), but even compared to the biggest standout event I went to in the Superman advance screening, there is just a buzz and aura in this theater right now. I saw some folks in the concessions line cosplaying as Rumi, and I hear somebody else's phone playing one of the song amping up for this right now.

Let's see how annoying this gets.

[Britbuffguy]

I just saw SHADOWS next door this at my theater, and I mostly heard this film half the time. Very loud over there.

Didn't this only play Sat & Sun as well, and it's still took #1?

[BluBonnet]

Originally Posted by Britbuffguy

Didn't this only play Sat & Sun as well, and it's still took #1?

Correct, although Netflix won’t release an official figure, industry estimates put it at $18m-$20m for the two-day release

[MuffinMcFluffin]

Just finished. Honestly, wasn't annoying at all. The movie was loud enough to overpower any little chatter, and singing really started to warm up once Golden's chorus and second verse began.

They were in love with the Saja Boys every which way (their songs, bodies, etc.), quoted but a few lines like about the pajama pants and a "Hi Bobby!" or two, and people just genuinely had a good time.

Even for people like myself and you all who may have tens of thousands of dollars spent in home theater equipment, you see the unparalleled value in seeing this in a commercial theater, especially with a crowd of dozens upon dozens that probably have less than we do at home and were more excited to see it than you. Sony had to be reeling over this.

Some observations with the lyrics on the screen:

- It was interesting seeing a phonetic English version of the Korean words.

- They used their own "font" where lowercase E's were capitalized, and reading them through me off the entire time. It wasn't a problem, but more of a realization as to how much we know our alphabet in a very specific way.

- Unlike most movies where subtitles are used, these always took place during moments of action, so reading the words took away from what was on screen at the time. Your best bet of singing along while enjoying the picture is simply to learn the songs beforehand.

I've seen 53 movies in theater this year, and honestly for my own personal tastes this movie itself doesn't sit very high up there... but I'd be damned if I didn't say this wasn't my favorite movie experience so far this year, only to probably be beat by a larger capacity crowd of the same movie. I don't even think that Avatar 3 will trounce it. I'll have to wait till next year with The Odyssey or Avengers: Doomsday to likely experience that kind of excitement, engagement, and immersion again.

My excitement for this release is that hopefully more people are excited to go to the movies again. This may be a small bunch, but it is a wave that others can catch (and may be a demographic you don't get as often).