Netflix and Sony finalize KPop Demon Hunters sequel for 2029

Netflix and Sony have finalized a deal for a sequel to this year’s animated hit KPop Demon Hunters, with directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans signed to return and a planned release window in 2029, according to reports. The timeline reflects the long lead times typical for feature animation and follows the original film’s unexpectedly rapid rise to global popularity.

Studios and the filmmakers have said the production schedule for the followup will extend across several years. Animated features commonly require three to four years of development, story work, voice recording, animation and post-production, industry sources note. Netflix and Sony did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the sequel or the timetable.

KPop Demon Hunters became one of the platform’s most viewed originals soon after its June release, registering more than 325 million views in its first 91 days and spending about 20 consecutive weeks in Netflix’s top 10 rankings. The film also enjoyed an unusual theatrical afterlife: limited singalong engagements and fan events produced roughly $25 million in domestic box office receipts, including an opening two-day total of about $18 million. Those...