Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos says the streamer is moving beyond a purely direct-to-streaming strategy for “KPop Demon Hunters 2.” Reporting from Sarandos points to a “very broad theatrical release,” indicating the animated sequel will get a larger role in theaters than its predecessor.
The announcement comes in the context of strong early performance for the first film, “KPop Demon Hunters.” Deadline reports it breaks Netflix viewing records, including 325.1M views in its first 90 days and 63 consecutive weeks in Netflix’s Global Top 10. Deadline also notes that even after the movie debuts on Netflix, related theatrical-style activity—such as a singalong version—shows box-office potential shortly thereafter.
Across outlets, the central difference is emphasis: Deadline focuses on the first film’s streaming milestones and demonstrated commercial reach, while ComingSoon.net highlights the sequel’s shift toward a broad theatrical rollout and frames it as a major upgrade from Netflix’s prior distribution approach. Both accounts attribute the distribution plan to Sarandos’ comments.
