When one thinks of Netflix, box office success is hardly the first thing that comes to mind. The streamer has what can be described as a tenuous relationship with theater chains. Several Netflix original movies don’t play on the big screen, and the ones that do receive limited releases so they can qualify for awards. That strategy means Netflix has distributed many Oscar-nominated films over the past handful of years (and they’ll be looking to add to that list in 2025 with Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, among others), but you won’t see their titles rewrite the box office history books. But things changed this weekend.
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According to The Wrap, Netflix’s animated sensation Kpop Demon Hunters pulled off a surprise victory at the box office, grossing somewhere between $18-20 million domestically. That’s enough to top reigning champion Weapons, which is projected to earn $15.6 million in its third weekend. With this, Kpop Demon Hunters becomes the first Netflix film to earn the No. 1 position on the box office charts. It’s important to keep in mind that Netflix does not report its box office numbers, so industry trades are going off their own sources.
How Kpop Demon Hunters Won the Box Office This Weekend
Kpop Demon Hunters dominated Netflix’s charts this summer, quickly becoming one of the streamer’s most-watched films of all time. Looking to capitalize on the phenomenon, Netflix saw an opportunity to take advantage of the weak late-summer marketplace and turn Kpop Demon Hunters into a big-screen event. It gave the film an extremely limited two-day release, putting a special sing-along version of Kpop Demon Hunters in theaters.
This weekend was the perfect time for something like this. Business at the summer box office has slowed down considerably since the trio of Jurassic World Rebirth, Superman, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps dominated July. Weapons, bolstered by widespread critical acclaim and strong word of mouth, exceeded expectations and became a breakout hit, but it’s arguably the only August release that’s made any kind of significant dent at the box office. It’s grossed over $100 million domestically and remains a draw for horror fans.
Other new titles this month haven’t been so lucky. Action sequel Nobody 2 earned just $9.2 million in its stateside debut. This weekend saw Ethan Coen’s crime comedy Honey Don’t! hit theaters nationwide, and that’s not even projected to finish in the top five. Before some more intriguing titles like the buzzed-about The Long Walk and Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another arrive in September, there was an opening for Netflix to make a splash at the box office.
Netflix might find itself at the top of the box office charts again next year. The streamer has put together an unprecedented release strategy for Greta Gerwig’s Chronicles of Narnia reboot, giving it a two-week exclusive run in IMAX theaters. For now, it seems Narnia will only play on IMAX screens, which could put it at a disadvantage against other titles playing in regular theaters. But given the brand recognition and Gerwig’s pedigree as a filmmaker, perhaps there will be a strong turnout.
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Image courtesy of Focus Features.
