KPop Demon Hunters: Netflix’s First Theatrical Success

Quick Summary

• Box Office Potential: KPop Demon Hunters may reach $18-20 million in domestic earnings this weekend.
• Streaming Milestone: This film could mark Netflix’s first #1 theatrical release.
• Theater Distribution: AMC is the only major North American chain not screening the film, while many showings sold out quickly.
• Future Screenings: It remains uncertain if Netflix will schedule additional screenings or expand the release internationally.

After growing popularity and fan demand, KPop Demon Hunters came to theaters across North America this weekend. And in what’s surely a shock, the film might manage to take the top spot in the box office and give Netflix something else to brag about.

Per the Hollywood Reporter, the KPop singalong screenings is looking to earn $18-20 million domestic before the weekend is out. That number comes courtesy of exhibition sources and “rival studios,” since Netflix doesn’t report numbers when its movies hit theaters. But should KPop hit that range (or exceeds it), this would mark the first time a movie from the streamer hit #1 on the big screen. Of the big North American theater chains, AMC is the only one not playing it, and around 1,150 of its 1,700 showings sold out earlier in the week.

Netflix has always had a rocky relationship with theaters, which has gained greater scrutiny recently. Earlier in August, Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer announced they were moving to Paramount in April 2026 to make theatrical movies—said to be a huge factor in their decision—and Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein will hit the big screen in October. People who’ve watched KPop Demon Hunters at home have come away from it thinking it could’ve been a hit in theaters, and this two-day screening proves them right a little bit. At time of writing, it’s unknown if Netflix will allow for more screenings closer to Oscar season, or even extend it to other countries, but it looks like there’s no stopping KPop Demon Hunters’ momentum for the foreseeable future.

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