KPop Demon Hunters became the most beloved and successful movie that’s ever been made for audiences with a Netflix subscription. So it probably shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise when a sequel was announced to be in the works. However, one of the big questions that may be on the minds of fans likely pertains to how long it will take to reunite with HUNTR/X forDemon Hunters 2. While I’m someone who’s highly-anticipating that follow-up alongside everyone else, I think the movies’ directors have made some golden points on the subject. (And the Spider-Verse movies were even referenced.)
The sequel to KPop Demon Hunters is officially in the works from Netflix and Sony Pictures Animation. Per a past report from Variety, the studios were aiming for a 2029 release date for the flick, yet in the streamer’s official announcement from this past March, a release window was not included. Here’s what the movie’s co-director, Chris Appelhans, recently told The Hollywood Reporter when asked about the sequel alongside co-director Maggie Kang:
I’ve seen a lot of comments on YouTube interviews that have been voted right to the top that say something along the lines of, ‘If there’s going to be a sequel, let them cook. Don’t rush it. We can all wait. The audiences are so media savvy now. They don’t know the animation pipeline per se, but they have sort of spoken in the sense of if we make it great, they’ll be there.
For many, it may be a bummer to know they’ll have to wait a few years for KPop Demon Hunters 2 to hit their screens. Still the process of making animation films is indeed lengthy, and there are plenty of reasons for that. Also, as Appelhans brought up, fans are very aware of this at this point, and are willing to wait. Along with him pointing out how the fans are looking for quality from the filmmakers, co-director Maggie Kang added the point related to the Spider-Verse movies:
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The diehard Spider-Verse fans really know that. They understand that level of artistry takes a really long time. Anytime you’re trying to do something new and different, it takes even longer. I think whatever we do next is going to be just pushing ourselves even more than what we did with this movie.
Now, the Spider-Verse movies (which are also Sony Animation productions) have each been released in four-year gaps, making the notion of the KPop Demon Hunters sequel taking some time seem reasonable. Kang also makes a great point in that great art takes time, and that’s indeed been true of Phil Lord and Chris Miller‘s Spider-Man films, which have been acclaimed by critics and fans.
Demon Hunters was arguably 2025’s movie of the summer and got so big on Netflix that it was sent to theaters for a brief run. The animated movie also dominated amid awards season, picking up numerous accolades, including an Oscar for Best Animated Feature. Of course, with the co-directors spending much of the past few months promoting and campaigning for the movie, I can’t imagine there’s been much time for them to get started on the sequel.
Ultimately, as a fan, I’m definitely willing to wait for the Kpop follow-up, especially knowing that Sony Animation could benefit from the extra time to make a sequel that might be as good or better than the original. The Spider-Verse filmmakers have definitely accomplished this across the two movies we’ve seen so far. The upcoming sequel capper, Beyond The Spider-Verse, has dealt with delays, but I know that it’s for the good of the project.
While we’ve been waiting a while for Spider-Man: Beyond The Spider-Verse, time is moving, and the film will be with us before we know it. I’d like to think that the release of the Kpop Demon Hunters sequel will also come quickly. While we wait for news on that movie, know that The third Spider-Verse film is slated for a theatrical release on June 18, 2027. And, of course, KPop Demon Hunters remains a high-ranking Netflix hit (still in the top 10), so check it out now.