The story of success of “Kpop Demon Hunters” could be a turning point for cinema

This weekend, the history of cinema was made. For the first time, Netflix had the number one film at the box office with its Megahit Kpop demon hunters. However, while each other film distributor would have celebrated this fact, the streamer did not report the figures. Instead, he immediately put the film version in theaters on his streamer. The message was clear. It was not supposed to be a huge taking of money or playing for theatrical domination. It was more a thank you to the fans who broadcast the film in record numbers and an advertising drawn up for Netflix. But the undeniable success of the film raises many questions about how and why it happened, if it could be repeated, and what all this means.

The biggest question among these is whether Kpop demon hunters Would have been such an important success if it had been exclusively released in theaters? The film made its debut on Netflix at the end of June and was immediately adopted by all those who watched it. Critics, fans and all those who saw it loved it, and its rotten score remains at 97%. At that time, Netflix also released the film in three rooms for a week in June to qualify it for the Oscars. The streamer has never reported this data, but we can tell you that it was not number one at the box office. Consciousness and popularity were just beginning and they did not stop.

Slowly but surely, Kpop demon hunters has become one of Netflix’s greatest successes of all time. Word of mouth, associated with an ease of accessibility, undoubtedly made it the feeling of pop culture of summer. The songs of the film are on the top 10 of the Billboard, gaining difficulties on the services of National Radio and Streaming. Toy companies came to make goods. We are talking about suites, spin-offs and more than two months since its initial release, it is on the way to being the most successful film of Netflix of all time, of all time, of live action or animation.

All of this happened before this weekend. In Hollywood today, the traditional way of thinking is that a streaming film kills its box office prospects. If people can broadcast it at home, they will not go to theaters. And there are surely data to support this. Most people think that the perfect formula is that something be published exclusively in theaters, where it can generate a large buzz and at the box office, which then arouses the interest of the home release. Thus, a studio earns money on a film in theaters, for its digital version, its physical version, then the streaming version. A quadruple dive with excitation and advertising, ideally, leading new viewers to each format.

Kpop Demon Hunters, However, changes it all. It was not published on Netflix with a ton of advertising. Even his recent theatrical version was not supported with hundreds of millions of dollars in marketing. The film became a success on Netflix because a) It’s good, of course, and b) people were able to watch it immediately after their friends told them. It was there. It was available. We were already paying it. And when, months later, the film obtained a larger theatrical release, it had permeated culture to become less a first race hit and almost a repertoire film. A film that fans know so much, they pay to see it in theaters just for experience.

Historically, these kinds of films can be box office successes, but not always. Star Wars, For example, return until the 1980s, through special editions of the 1990s and to prequelled outings in recent years, proves it. But these films were already available at home for a long time. Kpop demon hunters is generally considered a new title. What is, in terms of days. But in terms of popularity and awareness, thanks to the incredible speed with which we consume content in 2025, it is already well established beyond its age.

Twenty-six million looked at Kpop demon hunters During its ninth week of release from August 11 to 17 (which is the most recent data that Netflix published in publication). Coarsely, if you claim that each of these people paid $ 10 to see the film, it’s $ 260 million, what Spider-Man: No time at home done in his opening weekend. The point being, months after the release, people always broadcast shit in wild number. Would the film have been close to that if he had followed the traditional road to theaters? Not in his ninth week, of course. Would children of all ages have been in theaters again and again to watch the film in record numbers? Maybe. But the fact that it had already become something that everyone could certainly appreciate in this case.

If a film can first do its start in streaming, find its audience, then become a success at the box office, all bets are disabled. It is a complete reversal in the traditional way of thinking of Hollywood. No one wants to give something for free if people are ready to pay for it. Well, the message with Kpop demon hunters Will people pay it even if it is free because it’s so good and fun and they love it. In this case, Netflix was the ultimate marketing tool for the greatest success of the weekend box office.

Kpop demon huntersAs well as the new singer version, which played in theaters this weekend, is on Netflix.

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