Netflix's animated movie KPop Demon Hunters has become a massive global hit, rising to the number one spot on the streamer's all-time charts, and even earning a limited but hugely successful theatrical release. Now, Ravi Ahuja, CEO of Sony who produced the film, which was distributed by Netflix, is opening up about how it feels to launch a pop culture sensation on streaming instead of going straight to theaters.
"Obviously, in hindsight, it's such a big hit. "It's K-Pop-themed, very specific film," Ahuja says. (via TheWrap). "Netflix paid the whole cost, plus a profit premium. At the time, it made sense. But now you look at the success and think maybe it could have been theatrical."
"I think it was in the right home. Our mission is to make great content and find the right home. And I think ‘KPop Demon Hunters' right home was Netflix," he continues. "Could it have been theatrical? It's hard to say. It's possible but I don't think it's so obvious."
That said, Ahuja also confirmed that Sony will be handling all the sequels to the smash-hit film, indicating that the studio will be the ones to profit from them first-and-foremost.
"There's an ongoing conversation about terms, and not even so much in film or on the TV side, is whether the right terms are being used, whether streamers can actually pay less but get back more rights," he explains. "And I've told all the streamers, we're very open to that, so we're having more of those conversations. If you think about KPop Demon Hunters in that light, I think we would always rather bet on ourselves."
KPop Demon Hunters is now streaming on Netflix. For more, check out the 25 best movies to watch on Netflix right now.
