Box Office Showdown: Will Netflix’s ‘Kpop Demon Hunters’ Sing-Along Top ‘Weapons’ and Dominate with $15M+? Find Out Here!

Talk to anyone in the film distribution world, and you’ll hear concerns about a weak box office weekend. This summer’s earnings stand at $3.4 billion, which is just a 2% increase compared to last year, but projections suggest it could fall short by the end of the summer.

In a surprising twist, Netflix, a streaming giant valued at over $512 billion, is making waves by releasing a sing-along version of its hit animated film, Kpop Demon Hunters, in about 1,700 theaters this weekend. This limited release is mostly for Saturday and Sunday, with reports stating that around 1,100 locations are already sold out. Early estimates suggest that Kpop Demon Hunters might top the box office with earnings exceeding $15 million, potentially overshadowing New Line’s Weapons, which is expected to earn about $13.5 million.

The popularity of Kpop Demon Hunters is remarkable. It has racked up 210.5 million views globally, making it Netflix’s second-most viewed film, just shy of Red Notice at 230.9 million views. In the past two weeks, the film has seen consistent viewing numbers, maintaining around 26 million views weekly without dropping.

Predicting its success is tricky, though. The film’s limited engagement means its box office performance won’t fully materialize until Saturday. It’s also targeted at a young female audience, who often show up in large numbers initially but may not sustain that interest.

Netflix usually doesn’t disclose its box office earnings, but it did reveal that Knives Out: Glass Onion grossed $15 million during its Thanksgiving debut in 2022. This lack of reporting makes it tough to gauge Kpop Demon Hunters‘ actual performance accurately.

The movie, co-written and co-directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, follows three young K-pop stars—Rumi, Mira, and Zoey—who battle supernatural foes due to their lineage as demon slayers. Their biggest challenge comes from a rival K-pop boy band created by a demon, aiming to steal the souls of their fans, putting both their friendships and their mission to the test.

While Kpop Demon Hunters draws attention, other films this weekend are targeting different audiences. Honey Don’t! directed by Ethan Coen is projected to earn over $3 million at 1,300 theaters, while Relay, directed by David Mackenzie, is eyeing modest earnings in the single digits across 1,458 locations.

This evolving landscape in film distribution points to an interesting trend: streaming platforms are increasingly stepping into theatrical releases, reshaping how we think about box office success. As viewers’ habits shift, it will be fascinating to see how this affects both big studios and streaming giants alike.

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K-Pop: Demon Hunters,Netflix,Weapons