Netflix Drops a Whopping $15 Million Surprise on Sony — But What Cosmic Forces Are Fueling the ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Sequel Deal?
Added on November 7, 2025 inMovie News Cards
Popular
Numerology Meets Netflix: Get Your Daily Dose of Cosmic Cinema Suggestions Powered By Our AI Astrologer. Find The Show Or Movie You Were Meant To See!
Ever wonder if the stars had a hand in Netflix dropping a cool $15 million bonus on Sony for the sequel to the animated blockbuster KPop Demon Hunters? Maybe Mercury glanced at Jupiter and whispered, “Make that deal smoother than a K-pop dance move.” Tonight’s cosmic lineup seems to have fueled a matchmaking fiesta between streaming giant and animation powerhouse, turning a deal that could’ve been a gladiator fight into a handshake over bubbly. Sony’s already laughing all the way to the bank with a new $40 million payday, Netflix flexing that power to keep the KPop craze spinning worldwide. And while the exact sequel numbers remain under wraps, you can bet the next chapter is dialed way up — riding on a wave of bonuses, soundtrack royalties, and all the merch Netflix can hoard. Talk about a star-crossed success story written in the sky — and on your screens.
Sometimes the hunt for a deal is easier than others.
In the case of the sequel to the cultural sensation KPop Demon Hunters, Netflix decided to take the easier route and awarded Sony — which made the acclaimed animated film — a $15 million bonus for the astonishing success of the pic, according to a source close to the streamer.
From Sony Pictures Animation, KPop Demon Hunters quickly became the most watched film of all time on Netflix this summer.
The bonus was a mutually agreed upon olive branch that allowed Netflix’s movie executives to hammer out a deal relatively quickly with Sony movie chief Tom Rothman and his team for a sequel.
Related Stories
It also means Sony’s cash payout for the first film is now $40 million, instead of the original $25 million. The $25 million included a $20 million fee, plus $5 million for first-option rights for Netflix to retain the pic on the platform. In addition, Netflix covered the entire $100 million budget of the pic.
It doesn’t end there. Sony also collects a margin of the production budget, as Netflix is paying the Sony-owned animation company Imageworks, home of the Spider-Verse franchise, for work on the movie. Sony also receives a piece of soundtrack sales, as well as music publishing fees for certain songs. Merchandising rights, however, belong solely to Netflix.
The exact financial terms of the Kpop sequel have not been revealed, but it’s safe to say there are increases in every category, including some sort of success metric built in when it comes to bonuses.
Whatever they are, the deal is also a boon for Netflix, which can use the sequel to keep the KPop movement alive and thriving.
Sony and Netflix declined comment. Both companies known to be loath to discuss numbers.
The deal for the first Demon Hunters — which was part of a larger, multi-title pact — was struck during the depths of the pandemic in 2021.
Amid the film’s breakout success earlier this year, some said Sony should have held out and taken the full-blown theatrical route, even if it was a financial risk. Other rival studio execs disagreed, saying the movie had the space and time it needed to grow on Netflix. Even if it wanted to, Sony could not have taken Demon Hunters back, as Netflix owns the distribution rights.
And theatrically, recouping $40 million in profit from a movie costing $100 million to produce before spending as much, or nearly as much on a global marketing campaign, would have been tough. When it comes to profit margins, a studio hopes for a range of 10 percent to 12 percent.
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.
This will close in 0 seconds
This will close in 0 seconds
){kind=link}