Netflix delivers a serious glow-up for KPop Demon Hunters 2 — we’ll take it

Netflix is making a rather interesting move with its next big family film. After the runaway streaming success of KPop Demon Hunters, they're teeing up something we rarely see from the platform – a proper, wide-scale theatrical run for the sequel.

Bigger, Bolder, and in Cinemas

Ted Sarandos, Netflix's co-CEO, revealed at Bloomberg’s Screentime (of all places) that KPop Demon Hunters 2 is heading for what he described as a 'very broad theatrical release'. To put it plainly, the next film isn’t just debuting on Netflix’s homepage. Instead, you’ll be able to catch it on the big screen before it lands on streaming – a dramatic swerve from how the franchise started.

KPop Demon Hunters was watched 325.1 million times in its first 90 days after release.

Let’s put that in perspective: the original was a streaming juggernaut, notching up those 325 million views and camping out in the Global Top 10 for 63 consecutive weeks. When they later rolled out a singalong edition to cinemas (barring AMC, for whatever reason), it raked in a solid $19 million across just two days and claimed the top box office spot. Clearly, there’s plenty of appetite for the KPop Demon Hunters universe – and Netflix is gambling that appetite stretches to traditional cinemas, too.

Netflix’s New Cinema Playbook

Sarandos put KPop Demon Hunters 2 in the same group as their other hefty family movies now getting a theatrical kick-off. Alongside it, you’ll see fresh adaptations of Narnia and Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory enjoying the same treatment. Netflix is looking at 50 and 47-day exclusive cinema windows for Narnia and Charlie, respectively, while La Bola Negra is getting a shorter 46 days before streaming takes over. Basically, the streamer’s experimenting with exclusive cinema periods depending on the title and audience.

For the first time, Netflix will also report proper box-office figures for these films – a bit of overdue transparency, given their usual secrecy. But don’t expect box office alone to determine whether any of these flicks gets another sequel. Sarandos said the cinema run is more like a low-risk chance for a massive return right before the film lands on Netflix. Apparently, they’re less worried about total ticket sales than they are about building buzz (and potentially making a few quid extra) before subscribers binge from their sofas.

One more wrinkle: repeat family viewing is what really boosts Netflix’s streaming leaderboard. Sarandos pointed out that children’s and original films tend to dominate their most-watched stats, thanks mostly to kids who want to watch the same film again (and again). That said, don’t be shocked if a film pulls big numbers at the cinema and then falters when it finally drops on Netflix – at least some of the biggest fans will already have seen it on the big screen.