Netflix Greenlights KPop Demon Hunters Sequel With Maggie Kang and Chris Applehans Back at the Helm

The sequel everyone assumed was happening is finally official. Netflix and Sony Pictures Animation are moving ahead with a follow-up to KPop Demon Hunters, and the original duo, Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, are back in the directors' chairs. The movie that came out of nowhere and then broke just about everything in its path now has a franchise plan to match its footprint.

The sequel is a go

Netflix has greenlit the KPop Demon Hunters sequel, with Kang and Appelhans returning to direct as part of an exclusive multi-year deal to write and direct in animation. That partnership extends with Sony Pictures Animation, which helped power the first film's splashy rollout. After months of chatter and optimistic guesswork, this is the real deal.

How big did this thing get?

Last year, KPop Demon Hunters surged into full-on phenomenon mode. It became Netflix's most-watched film ever, racking up 325 million views on the platform and pulling in over 25 million dollars at the box office. The momentum spread fast and wide, crossing languages and age groups, and then bled into pretty much every corner of pop culture.

• A full-on clothing line
• Multiple Fortnite skins
• Special events tied to the brand
• Sing-along screenings in select theaters
• Several different ways to watch on the service

What the team is saying

Netflix leadership is leaning in hard on the fandom and the future of the universe.

"With KPop Demon Hunters, Maggie and Chris didn't just reach audiences, they ignited a global fandom that crossed languages, generations and genres. We're incredibly proud to deepen our partnership with them and, together with our partners at Sony Pictures Animation, build this universe in ways that will surprise and delight fans all over the world."

Kang is already looking ahead to expanding the world the first film introduced.

"I feel immense pride as a Korean filmmaker that the audience wants more from this Korean story and our Korean characters. There's so much more to this world we have built, and I'm excited to show you. This is only the beginning."

Appelhans sounds just as attached to the characters and the musical-genre mash-up that clicked the first time.

"These characters are like family to us, their world has become our second home. We're excited to write their next chapter, challenge them and watch them evolve — and continue pushing the boundaries of how music, animation and story can come together."

Awards race snapshot

KPop Demon Hunters is in the hunt for Best Animated Feature at this year's Academy Awards, going up against Zootopia 2, Arco, Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, and Eilio. No matter how the envelopes break, the nomination caps a run very few animated originals ever see.

For a movie that arrived without a massive lead-up, that is one serious glow-up. Now we get to see how Kang and Appelhans scale it.