Sony Pictures Animation’s film “KPop Demon Hunters” has been such a runaway success for Netflix that the streamer is reportedly looking to develop sequels and a live-action version.
The Wrap broke the news in a lengthy report about the film’s success. Launching to 9.3 million views in its first week, the film’s longevity on the streamer has been remarkable, with 24.2M views in Week 2, 22.7M in Week 3, 24.2M in Week 4, 25.8M in Week 5 and hitting a high of 26.3M in its sixth week of release.
It’s the first Netflix original film to reach a new viewing peak in its sixth week. It has become the most popular Netflix animated film of all time and will shortly enter the Netflix all-time top 10 films.
Set in Seoul with dialogue in English, the story follows a trio of K-pop singers whose infectious songs empower them to battle hordes of demons.
Its popularity has taken the streamer by surprise, but they plan to fully exploit it in the kinds of ways Disney did with “Frozen”. Multiple project ideas are being bandied about, including “a stage musical, live-action remake, series and a pair of sequels”.
A short film to “bridge content” between the main features is also reportedly being discussed. Netflix, which owns all of the underlying rights to the IP (so it can do what it wants), is already ramping up merchandising and plans to partner with a number of outside partners.
