Los Angeles: Netflix scores a box office milestone

Netflix has achieved a first in its theatrical experiment. The singalong version of its animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” is projected to earn between $18 million and $20 million at the domestic box office this weekend, making it the number one movie despite playing in cinemas only on Saturday and Sunday.

This marks the first time a Netflix title has topped the box office chart—an important milestone for the streaming giant, which has long resisted traditional theatrical releases.

Streaming titles at the box office

This isn’t the first time a streaming-backed title has led the charts. Earlier this summer, Apple’s “F1” (distributed in the U.S. by Warner Bros.) opened to an impressive $57 million, setting a new benchmark for streamers’ theatrical ambitions.

However, the Netflix win stands out given its limited theatrical push and the fact that “KPop Demon Hunters” has already been available to stream since late June.

Box office context

Industry sources caution that Netflix does not release official box office figures, so these are preliminary weekend estimates. Still, the numbers give the film a comfortable lead over the rest of the field.

The second-highest grosser this weekend was “Weapons”, which earned an estimated $15.4 million in its third weekend, pushing its domestic total to $115 million.

A shift in Netflix’s strategy?

Netflix has traditionally steered away from extended theatrical runs, offering only limited previews—such as the one-week release of Rian Johnson’s “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery”, which made around $15 million.

This cautious approach frustrated some filmmakers, though the success of “KPop Demon Hunters” may signal a slow shift. The company’s next major theatrical test will be Greta Gerwig’s “Narnia” adaptation, scheduled for an exclusive IMAX release next fall.

AMC Theatres, sticking to its long-standing policy, declined to screen the singalong version because Netflix does not commit to an exclusive theatrical window. Most other major chains, however, showed the film.

Streaming success behind the numbers

“KPop Demon Hunters” has already been a phenomenon online. Since its digital release in June, it has climbed to number two on Netflix’s all-time most-watched list, with more than 210 million views worldwide.

The film, produced by Sony Pictures Animation, features a largely Korean and Korean-American voice cast. Its plot follows a K-pop girl group that doubles as demon hunters, squaring off against rival boy-band villains.

Adding to its appeal, “Golden”, a track from the film’s soundtrack, topped the Billboard charts and has been streamed more than 400 million times on Spotify.

Conclusion

The box office victory of “KPop Demon Hunters” marks a symbolic breakthrough for Netflix, blending streaming dominance with theatrical success. Whether this translates into a larger shift in strategy remains to be seen, but the film’s dual success suggests that streaming and cinema may no longer be at odds.