Netflix’s ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ is probably the biggest movie in theaters
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Netflix’s ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ is probably the biggest movie in theaters
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Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They’re here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don’t miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $675 before prices rise.
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Netflix’s ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ is probably the biggest movie in theaters Anthony Ha PM PDT · August 24, 2025 A singalong version of the Netflix animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” is on-track to earn $18 million to $20 million in theaters this weekend, making it the number one movie at the domestic box office. And that’s despite only being in theaters for two-thirds of the weekend (namely, Saturday and Sunday).
This isn’t the first time a streaming title has topped the box office charts. In fact, Apple’s “F1” (distributed in U.S. theaters
The victory comes with some asterisks, most notably that Netflix doesn’t announce box office returns itself. So these aren’t official numbers from the streamer, but rather preliminary weekend estimates from other industry
This was, admittedly, a quiet weekend, without major new releases. Besides “KPop Demon Hunters,” the top-grossing movie was “Weapons,” which made an estimated $15.4 million in its third weekend in theaters, for a $115 million domestic total.
Still, this feels like a milestone for a company that has avoided traditional theatrical releases (a stance that may have driven away some of its most successful filmmakers). The closest it’s come is a one-week release of Rian Johnson’s “Knives Out” sequel “Glass Onion,” which earned an estimated $15 million in theaters. And then there’s Greta Gerwig’s “Narnia” adaptation, which will probably do even bigger box office numbers when it launches exclusively on Imax screens next fall.
This is also an impressive victory for a movie that’s been available on streaming since late June, and has already climbed to the number two spot on Netflix’s chart of all-time most-watched movies, with more than 210 million views. (It’s sandwiched, somehow, between “Red Notice” and “Carry-On”).
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Techcrunch event Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital, Elad Gil — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They’re here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don’t miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $600+ before prices rise. Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They’re here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don’t miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $675 before prices rise. San Francisco | October 27-29, 2025 REGISTER NOW In keeping with a longstanding refusal to screen movies without an exclusive theatrical window, AMC Theatres declined to show this singalong version of “KPop Demon Hunters,” but it was the only major chain to do so.
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Anthony Ha Anthony Ha is TechCrunch’s weekend editor. Previously, he worked as a tech View Bio October 27-29, 2025 San Francisco Put your brand in front of 10,000+ tech and VC leaders across all three days of Disrupt 2025. Amplify your reach, spark real connections, and lead the innovation charge. Secure your exhibit space before your competitor does.
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