‘KPop Demon Hunters’ gives Netflix its first box-office win

LOS ANGELES (AP):

Netflix appears to have its first No. 1 box-office title in the streaming company’s 18-year history, thanks to the sensation of KPop Demon Hunters.

Rival studios on Sunday estimated KPop Demon Hunters led all films over the weekend with $16-18 million in ticket sales. Distribution executives from three studios shared their estimates for the Netflix phenomenon on condition of anonymity, because the streaming company has a policy of not reporting ticket sales.

Following a dominating few weeks as one of the most popular Netflix releases ever, the streamer put the film into 1,750 theatres for sing-along screenings Saturday and Sunday. Studios are able to accurately estimate ticket sales for all releases on Sunday morning, with some estimates as high as $20 million.

It amounted to a victory lap for the film, arguably the biggest hit of Hollywood’s summer, and an ironic success for Netflix, whose emphasis on streaming, not theatrical release, upended the movie industry. Another sore spot for Hollywood: The film was developed and produced by Sony Pictures, which sold it to Netflix.

AMC, the largest theatre chain in North America, declined to show the movie, but that didn’t stop Netflix from claiming the box-office title its more traditional competitors typically own.

David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm FranchiseRe, called it “a completely unique two-day musical event”. The theatrical release, though limited, is out of the ordinary for the streaming giant, which has long stressed a commitment to subscriber releases. The movie debuted on the platform in late June and is currently Netflix’s most-watched animated original film.

The film centres on Huntr/x, a KPop superstar trio who double as demon hunters. The members, Rumi (Arden Cho), Mira (May Hong) and Zooey (Ji-young Yoo), must protect their fans and face their biggest enemy yet: a rival boy band made up of demons in disguise.

Zach Cregger’s horror hit, Weapons, maintained strength in the box office during its third weekend, bringing in $15.6 million domestically. The buzzy horror movie has proved its staying power, raking in over $100 million globally since its release.

Disney’s Freakier Friday, landed behind the horror movie once again, earning $9.2 million in North American theatres.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps earned $5.9 million domestically during its fifth weekend. The movie enjoyed a strong $118 million debut but has experienced a steady decline.

Newcomer Honey Don’t! opened in 1,317 North American theatres with a weekend gross estimate of $3 million, in line with expectations. and made it to the top 10. The dark comedy stars Margaret Qualley as Honey O’Donahue, a small-town private investigator who investigates a slew of strange deaths tied to a church in Bakersfield, California.