Netflix to give KPop Demon Hunters sequel a broad theatrical release before streaming

Broad theatrical rollout planned for the sequel

Netflix will give the animated sequel to its 2025 film KPop Demon Hunters a wide theatrical release before the title reaches its streaming service, co-CEO Ted Sarandos said on Oct. 1. Speaking at Bloomberg's Screentime conference in Los Angeles on Sept. 30, Sarandos confirmed that the follow-up is "expected" in 2029 and will play in theaters globally ahead of its streaming debut. "When the KPop Demon Hunters sequel comes, you can expect a very broad theatrical release," Sarandos said, framing the decision as a way to "serve movie lovers who may want to see this movie in a theater" while protecting the underlying Netflix value of the title. The detail is captured across multiple summaries of Sarandos's Bloomberg Screentime remarks, including the project's trade-press write-ups and fan-site coverage on Oct. 1. Netflix has set no release date, and the company has not announced when the sequel will reach streaming after its theatrical run.

Track record of the first film underpins the shift

The decision follows the strong theatrical performance of the original KPop Demon Hunters, which Netflix released on June 20, 2025, before staging limited sing-along runs in cinemas. The first film drew 325.1 million views in its first 90 days on the platform, making it the streamer's most-watched movie in any language. A sing-along version took an estimated $19 million over two days in theaters, and another spread cited an $18 to $20 million gross across 1,700 North American theaters; trade press also tallied $24.3 million domestically across five non-consecutive days. Every major U.S. chain played the title except AMC, which had previously boycotted Netflix over its reluctance to commit to a 45-day theatrical window. The original won Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song.

Sequel creative team and production outlook

Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, who co-wrote and directed the original, are returning for KPop Demon Hunters 2. Netflix confirmed the sequel in March 2026. The first title continues to draw traffic on the platform and the charts; per the original Variety trade cites, Nerdist notes that the franchise has placed three songs on the Billboard 100. Sony Pictures Animation produced the original and is expected to handle international distribution on the sequel through its partnership with Netflix. The 2029 target is described in coverage as ambitious given how long a large animated feature typically takes to produce, and Netflix has not disclosed a firmer release window.

Tiered theatrical strategy across the slate

Sarandos used the KPop Demon Hunters news to outline a broader, multi-tier theatrical approach for Netflix's film slate, separating family blockbusters from art-house titles. Greta Gerwig's Narnia: The Magician's Nephew and the animated Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory are slated for wide theatrical releases in 2027. The Spanish-language La Bola Negra, Spain's entry for Best International Feature at the next Academy Awards, will receive a 46-day window when it hits theaters on Oct. 16 before streaming on Dec. 2, described as Netflix's longest theatrical release window to date. David Fincher's The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth, written by Quentin Tarantino and starring Brad Pitt, will receive a 27-day window and the company's first IMAX release in November. Peter Berg's Mosquito Bowl will have a 26-day window. Netflix also plans to begin reporting box-office results for these titles.

Other Netflix developments

Separately, the Turkish Netflix Original Not a Stranger has emerged as one of Netflix's biggest-ever Turkish series launches following a sustained run on the global Top 10, according to a Netflix-focused trade outlet. Coverage frames the series as another word-of-mouth Turkish hit on the platform, building on Netflix's prior Turkish slate. Netflix has not disclosed viewership figures or renewal details in the coverage.