In a surprising turn of events, Netflix’s animated musical “Kpop Demon Hunters” has taken the top spot on North American box office charts with an estimated opening weekend of $18 million to $20 million. The film, which is not new and was initially released on Netflix about two months ago, has become the second-most watched film on the platform.
Despite being a made-for-television film, “Kpop Demon Hunters” has attracted sold-out audiences at theaters nationwide, with many viewers singing, dancing, and dressing up for the movie. The film’s popularity is expected to drive fans back to Netflix for re-watches or sequels, making it a boon for the streaming giant.
The top spot was initially expected to be taken by Warner Bros.’ “Weapons,” which has earned $115.9 million domestically and $199 million globally in its third weekend of release. However, “Kpop Demon Hunters” has outperformed expectations with its impressive box office earnings.
Other notable films this weekend include Disney’s “Freakier Friday,” which placed second with $9.1 million, and Ethan Coen’s dark comedy “Honey Don’t!” which opened at No. 8 with a soft $3 million.
The overall box office is currently 5.1% ahead of last year, but the summer season is expected to fall short of the elusive $4 billion mark due to slow ticket sales. Despite this, several holdover titles rounded out the top five, including Disney’s Marvel adventure “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” and Universal’s “Bad Guys 2.”
Source: https://variety.com/2025/film/box-office/box-office-kpop-demon-hunters-leads-box-office-over-weapons-1236497070