Yesterday, I flagged that “KPop Demon Hunters” was on track to blow past expectations, on pace to sell out nearly 90% of its 1,700 nationwide showings this weekend.
Early projections pointed to a $20M opening — what I didn’t realize at the time was that such a number would be enough to claim the top spot at the domestic box office. That’s what Deadline is reporting now.
That makes this historic: Netflix has never had a #1 movie at the box office, either domestically or globally, under the traditional theatrical model. For two weeks, “Weapons” held the crown, but with an estimated $14M, it will now have to settle for second place to a Netflix movie.
So let me get this straight: the biggest theater chain in the U.S. (AMC) has boycotted this film because it’s from Netflix, it’s only playing on Saturday and Sunday, and yet it’s about to top the box office? If you had any doubts before, it’s clear this film has become a bona fide cultural phenomenon.
However, there’s a catch: “KPop Demon Hunters” is tough to predict since it’s only in theaters for a two-day weekend, and Netflix rarely releases its box-office numbers. Then again, why wouldn’t they make an exception here if it means snagging the #1 spot at the box office?
Major chains Regal, Cinemark, and Alamo Drafthouse are all on board with ‘KPop.’ AMC, however, continues its Netflix boycott — though with numbers like these, it wouldn’t be surprising if they reconsider. August was shaping up to be a quiet month at the box office, but ‘KPop’ has shattered expectations, and AMC’s absence —which otherwise could have easily added another $10M to that weekend tally — may turn out to be their loss.
The question now is whether Netflix keeps the momentum going beyond this one-off weekend. Theaters are lobbying for an extension and have already added showtimes. Historically, Netflix has resisted long theatrical windows, but the demand here is undeniable.
For the uninitiated, “KPop Demon Hunters” is an animated action-comedy about a secret K-pop girl group who moonlight as demon slayers, bursting with pop sheen and music-driven spectacle. On streaming, it’s already a phenomenon: Netflix’s second most-watched original ever, with 185 million views to date. And if the pace continues, it may even dethrone “Red Notice” as the platform’s all-time champion.
The short version: "Woman Unknown" was a compromise. The jury deadlocked over "Possible Love" and "NAZA," not able to com to terms, fell back on their #3, May el-Toukhy's film.