Netflix is going big on the big screen for its biggest hit ever. Co-CEO Ted Sarandos told Bloomberg's Screentime event this week that KPop Demon Hunters 2 will receive a "very broad theatrical release" when it arrives, part of a major evolution in the streamer's cinema strategy.
The sequel to Netflix's most popular movie of all time, animated once again by Sony, is expected to bow in 2029.
Sarandos laid out Netflix's new two-track theatrical philosophy at the event. On one end of the spectrum, he said, are art-house films like La Bola Negra and Train Dreams, which he argued could have played in theaters for six months without hurting their Netflix performance. On the other end are what he called "four-quad family rewatch" movies, the kind of films audiences watch over and over.
"We're going to do a big wide release for Narnia next year, and then we'll do a big wide release for Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory at the end of the year," Sarandos said. "We think they'll do great, and when the KPop Demon Hunters sequel comes, you can expect a very broad theatrical release."
The animated Roald Dahl adaptation Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory is due in theaters on November 5, 2027, ahead of its December 22 streaming launch. Netflix is planning a 47-day theatrical window for the film, which is produced by Netflix Animation Studios, with Sony Pictures handling its international theatrical release.
Sarandos also revealed that as part of its cinema push, Netflix will openly report box office numbers on its titles for the first time. He explained that the success of theatrical-first releases "won't be tied to the P&L itself," with relatively low financial expectations but the potential for significant upside. "If you're gonna take a little risk to the Netflix performance, it should have the potential for a very big upside in the theater," he said. "So, for Narnia, for KPop Demon Hunters, that's why they're gonna get big, broad, global release."
He noted that Netflix's most-watched titles are originals, "except for the kids and family movies because they get a lot of rewatching," a dynamic that makes a theatrical run for the KPop sequel a natural bet.
The confidence is backed by staggering numbers. KPop Demon Hunters, directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, scored 325.1 million views in its first 90 days and spent 63 consecutive weeks on the Global Top 10. As of its one-year anniversary in June, the film had amassed a reported 600 million views, making it Netflix's most popular original title ever.
The film's streaming dominance already translated to box office success once. A limited sing-along theatrical run played to sold-out rooms, spent two days at No. 1 at the box office, and grossed an estimated $19 million. The film went on to win two Academy Awards, for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song, while its original music dominated the charts.
Netflix continues to capitalize on the franchise with an extensive licensing program, an immersive experience at its Netflix House locations, and an upcoming global concert tour.
Source: Deadline
