‘KPop Demon Hunters 2’ Is a Go, But It’s Going to Be a While

The news we all knew was coming is finally here. Sony and Netflix have struck a deal to make the animated sequel to KPop Demon Hunters. That’s the good news. The bad news is, it probably won’t be here until 2029.

Bloomberg first reported news of the deal and release date. The reason is that animated films take time, especially highly anticipated ones like this. So everyone involved just wants to make sure they get it right.

KPop Demon Hunters debuted in June and, very quickly, became an unexpected sensation. It jumped to the top of Netflix’s Top 10 most-watched films for several weeks and, eventually, became its most-watched original film ever. Several of the songs from the soundtrack became massive radio hits too, and quickly, talk of not just a sequel but a whole franchise began.

But that wasn’t as easy this time around. Sony Pictures Animation produced the film but sold it to Netflix for distribution. That made all the details of its rights a bit more complex. All of which became more pressing when the film, seemingly out of nowhere, became the #1 movie in America at the box office weeks after release. The demand was there. And the demand was there now.

Another issue is that co-directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans know they can’t let the fans down and didn’t want to move ahead until they had a story worth telling. “There’s definitely more we can do with these characters in this world,” Appelhans said a few weeks back. “And whatever it will be,” Kang added, “it will be a story that deserves to be a sequel, and it will be something that we want to see.”

Now, the wait begins. And while 2029 is the estimated release window, it’s not definite. If things progress faster, it’ll be here faster. If they’re slower, it’ll be here later. But, for now, just know the sequel is coming, and it’ll be at least a few years.

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