This weekend featured an amazing success for Netflix with its truncated theatrical release of KPOP DEMON HUNTERS, an animated sing-along feature. Unfortunately, Netflix has a strict policy of refusing to report its box office grosses to Comscore, the industry standard for box office tracking.
Therefore, the performance of any Netflix title can only be estimated based on information leaked out by rival studios and exhibitors. The consensus of those reports is that the Netflix title earned $18M-$20M, which is remarkable for several reasons. First, it only played on Saturday and Sunday at 1,700 theatres, which did not include any AMC locations because of a disagreement between AMC and Netflix over the theatrical release window.
Using the low-end estimate of $18M, the per theatre average for KPop musical was $10,588, which is quite remarkable when compared to the official first place finisher according to Comscore, Warner Bros.’ WEAPONS, which played on all three days of the weekend and earned $15.6M at 3,631 locations, adding up to a per theatre average of only $4,296.
All films in release this weekend, excluding the $18M-$20M contribution from KPOP DEMON HUNTERS, earned $60.1M which compares to $88.8M on this same weekend last year when DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE sold $18.3M in its 5th weekend. Even if K-pop does not earn official credit for finishing first, it was the undoubted story of the weekend.
After Netflix’s announcement on August 9th that it planned to release its film in theatres on August 22nd, exhibitors had almost no time to promote it to their customers. However, the movie had already developed its own following since it had premiered on Netflix on June 20th, becoming the second-most-watched English-language movie in Netflix’s history with its nearly 210 million views to date.
Tickets for showtimes in theatres sold briskly when they went on sale on August 9th, recording over 1,000 sellout showtimes in a matter of days. This is somewhat reminiscent of Angel Studios’ release of THE SOUND OF FREEDOM, which opened on July 4, 2023, with only modest promotion before its release from the studio and exhibitors, but with a built-in fan base that turned out in droves, producing an excellent first two days of $18.3M in sales.
After this weekend’s surprise success, it is still unclear whether Netflix will declare victory for KPOP DEMON HUNTERS and end its theatrical run or hold it over for additional screenings next weekend. How did a movie developed for streaming do so well in theatres after first playing online for eight weeks? This release pattern is exactly opposite to what AMC and other exhibitors want to see from a studio.
Netflix’s opposite approach worked in this case, resulting in success for both the streamer and exhibitors who played along. Even though AMC chose to sit this one out, we expect that they will not take this same position if another, similar opportunity presents itself.
KPOP DEMON HUNTERS was animated by Sony Pictures Imageworks and produced by Sony Pictures Animation, with heavy financial support from Netflix. The movie has been described as a unique blend of K-pop idol fantasy, musical, and demon-slaying action, something rarely seen in animated films. The film premiered on Netflix on June 20th and became an instant streaming sensation.
In order to meet Oscar eligibility requirements, Netflix also gave it a limited theatrical run at that time in California and New York. The soundtrack debuted at #8 on the Billboard 200, rising eventually to #3, which made it the highest-charting soundtrack of 2025 and second second-highest ever for an animated film. In early August, special sing-along screenings were held in select theatres across North America, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, and their rousing success showed the potential for a wider release. As a result, Netflix decided to expand it on August 23 and 24.
The film was put in the hands of first-time director Maggie Kang (who also conceived the story) and Chris Appelhans (WISH DRAGON), with additional contributions on its script by Danya Jimenez and Hannah McMechan. Maggie Kang drew from her experiences as a Korean Canadian girl in her early teens and was inspired by idols to create the concept.
The plot follows the story of a globally adored K-pop girl group named HUNTR/X – Rumi, Mira, and Zoey – who juggle their duties as pop stars and secret demon-hunters protecting humanity. Their mission: uphold the protective Honmoon barrier through song. When the demonic overlord Gwi-Ma sends in a rival boy band, the Saja Boys, to steal HUNTR/X’s fans and weaken the barrier, the girls face their greatest challenge.
The Honmoon is a mystical barrier separating the human world from demonic realms. Sounds like Ronald Reagan’s “Star Wars” missile shield from the 1980s or Donald Trump’s modern-day “Golden Dome”. Sustained by the pure energy of music and fan devotion, it weakens when corrupted or forgotten. HUNTR/X’s songs empower it, making their performances both entertainment and a shield against demonic invasion. Music is vital to the movie, so much so that it was originally conceptualized as a pop soundtrack; the project evolved into a full-scale movie musical.
The music features real-life K-pop giants Jeongyeon, Jihyo, and Chaeyoung (from TWICE), plus music from a powerhouse team that includes Teddy Park and Jenna Andrews. With music playing such an important role, the sing-along aspect in movie theatres is a logical outcome.
When it first appeared on Netflix, critics were delighted by giving it a 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with audiences weighing in with a 91% rating. Here are some examples of the critics’ reviews. IndieWire said, “It’s an endearing, beautifully animated crowd pleaser, with a dorkily sincere love for the pop culture phenomena it embeds itself in.” The New York Times describes it as depicting an “original world, charming, funny, and artistically impactful,” especially funny when it “pokes at highly manufactured pop culture—from K-pop to K-dramas.”
TheWrap notes that the plot “would feel painfully over-the-top if not for the excellent comedic through-line,” which parodies K-pop and K-drama clichés. Collider calls it a “beautifully absurd fantasy world” with fun mythology, demon-hunting, and music—both novel and rich. The film cost $100M to produce and was already successful based on its initial popularity online.
The additional earnings from its theatrical release only enhance its success, giving additional visibility that will translate into more online views as well. Maggie Kang has hinted at the potential for a sequel that goes deeper into the backstories and origins of its characters. We hope that Netflix sees the enormous potential for a theatrical hit nd brings it to theatres first before it launches it on streaming. Normally, we try to compare the top box office performers for a weekend to other films, but given the unprecedented and unique nature of this movie, we couldn’t come up with anything of its kind.
THE COMSCORE OFFICIAL TOP FIVE
Warner Bros.’ horror mystery WEAPONS finished as the official first-place winner for the third consecutive weekend, taking in $15.6M, a drop of 36%. In its 17 days, Zach Cregger’s horror hit has sold $115.9 million domestically and $199.4M worldwide. WEAPONS is the sixth Warner Bros. movie this year to earn over $100M domestic, with eight more movies from other studios hitting that mark.
WEAPONS continues to climb higher each week, having a current ratio of 4.6 to 1, comparing its total worldwide gross to production budget. While WEAPONS will not reach the $365.9 worldwide box office of SINNERS, it has a better global box office to budget ratio because it had a much lower production cost – $38M for WEAPONS compared to $90M for SINNERS.
WEAPONS is currently sitting at a 5.2 to 1 ratio and still improving every week, whereas SINNERS finished with a 4.1 to 1 ratio. If it can manage to reach a total worldwide box office of $235M, it could match the profitability of SINNERS, which some would argue is the ultimate measure of a movie’s success. Here is where the two films stand as of seventeen days in release.
WEAPONS vs. SINNERS after 17 Days
The Disney sequel FREAKIER FRIDAY finished in second place on the official count by bringing in $9.7M this weekend, a drop of 35%. After 17 days, the comedy sequel stands at $70.5M domestic and $113.5Mworldwide, putting it close to the performance of the 2003 version, which had earned $74.1M at this point.
Unfortunately, after factoring in inflation for the last 22 years, this year’s movie has earned only 54% of 2003’s FREAKY FRIDAY in domestic box office in 17 days. FREAKIER FRIDAY has reached profitability since it only needed to earn $105M to cross into the black. Here is where these two films stand after their first three weekends.
FREAKIER FRIDAY vs. FREAKY FRIDAY after 3 Weekends
Disney/Marvel’s THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS finished in third place with $5.9M in new sales, a drop of 35%. In 31 days, it has brought in $257.3 million domestic and $490.1Mworldwide worldwide, demonstrating an ability to maintain its audience over time with a top-five finish every weekend since it opened.
It is creeping closer to the $500M worldwide that it needs to make a profit. Its $490.1 worldwide gross is significantly higher than the previous franchise recordholder, the original FANTASTIC FOUR, which earned $333.M in 2005. Here is where FIRST STEPS stands in relation to the other films in the franchise.
THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS vs. Earlier FANTASTIC FOUR Movies after 31 Days
BAD GUYS 2 from Sony Animation finished in fourth place with a weekend box office of $5.1M and a drop of 32%. This brings its 24-day totals to $66.2 domestic and $149.1Mworldwide. In each of its first four weekends, the sequel has come in lower than the original BAD GUYS, but not by much.
After 24 days, it nohas nowaken in $66.2M domestic compared to BAD GUYS’ $66.1M. BAD GUYS 2 has benefited from its August 1st release date, while most kids were still out of school. The competitive landscape was also rather favorable for BAD GUYS 2, by comparison.
The original had a release date of April 22nd, which gave it a more difficult time generating ticket sales on weekdays. As it stands now, 63% of grades K-12 have returned to school, so BAD GUYS 2 is beginning to lose this advantage, with the original BAD GUYS at this point in its release was just about to begin benefiting from schools starting to let out in late May of its year. We expect that BAD GUYS 2 will not be able to keep up with BAD GUYS from here on out and will ultimately fall short of the $97.5M domestic gross of the original. Here is where they stand after 24 days in release.
BAD GUYS 2 vs. BAD GUYS after 24 Days
Lionsgate’s NOBODY 2 finished in fifth place with $3.7M in its second weekend, suffering an unfortunate drop of 60%. This brings its 10-day total to $16.5M domestic and $28.1M worldwide. The film is beating the original, but it must be remembered that the 2021 film was released during the pandemic.
Lionsgate had hoped that the sequel would be doing better at this point, without having to contend with the same limitations as the original. Given this weekend’s steep drop, the highest by far of any film in the top five, it seems highly unlikely that NOBODY 2 will reach the $63M in worldwide sales necessary for it to break even.
NOBODY 2 vs. NOBODY-10 Days in Release
Where Are We as of 8/21/2025
After 33 weeks, the 2025 domestic box office stands at 105% compared to the same point in 2024 and 76% compared to 2019.
