Netflix is preparing to give KPop Demon Hunters 2 a much bigger life outside the streaming service. Ted Sarandos says the sequel will receive a broad theatrical rollout, a notable shift for a franchise whose first movie became one of Netflix’s biggest streaming successes.
Ted Sarandos details Netflix’s theatrical plans for KPop Demon Hunters 2
The sequel, expected in 2029, will get what Sarandos called a “very broad theatrical release.” The Netflix co-CEO made the announcement during Bloomberg’s Screentime on Wednesday while explaining how the company plans to handle movies differently depending on their audience and potential (via Deadline).
The strategy comes after the original KPop Demon Hunters demonstrated that a streaming-first movie could still draw a major theater audience. Netflix recorded 325.1 million views during its first 90 days, while the film remained in the Global Top 10 for 63 straight weeks. Its singalong edition later brought in an estimated $19 million over two days at No. 1, with every major circuit except AMC showing it.
Sarandos grouped the sequel with large family movies that can benefit from a major big-screen push. He pointed to Narnia and Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory as other upcoming Netflix titles receiving wide theatrical treatment, while La Bola Negra will follow a different path. The company plans 50, 47 and 46-day theatrical windows for Narnia, Charlie and La Bola Negra, respectively.
Netflix will also report box-office results for these theatrical releases for the first time. Sarandos said the company does not expect theater revenue alone to determine whether such movies succeed financially. Instead, he described the theatrical run as a chance to take a limited risk in exchange for the possibility of a “very big upside” before the movie reaches Netflix.
Sarandos also pointed out that original films dominate the service’s most-watched rankings, while children and family fare gets an extra boost from repeat viewing. A packed theater run, however, doesn’t necessarily translate into a streaming smash. Sarandos noted that the biggest movie fans may already have caught the film on the big screen, leaving fewer first-time viewers when it eventually hits Netflix.