[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] LOS ANGELES, November 6, 2025 — Netflix has reportedly paid a $15 million (₩21.9 billion) bonus to Sony Pictures Animation, the studio behind this summer’s hit film “K-Pop Demon Hunters” (KDH), in recognition of the film’s record-breaking performance and as part of a follow-up production agreement.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the payout is considered an “olive branch” to ensure smooth negotiations between Netflix executives and Sony’s Motion Picture Group Chairman Tom Rothman ahead of a planned sequel. With the additional bonus, Netflix’s total payment to Sony now amounts to $40 million, up from the initial $25 million deal.
The amount includes a $20 million service fee, $5 million for Netflix’s first-option rights, and a $15 million performance bonus, in addition to Netflix fully financing the film’s $100 million production budget.
Originally intended for theatrical release, “K-Pop Demon Hunters” was produced entirely by Sony Pictures, from concept development and scripting to character design, before being released exclusively on Netflix due to pandemic-related delays.
Variety reported that Netflix and Sony have officially signed a deal for a sequel slated for release in 2029, citing the long production cycle typical of major animation projects.
Co-director Maggie Kang previously told Variety, “We had a lot of material prepared for the characters’ backstories and untold mysteries. With only 85 minutes, we couldn’t explore everything in one film.”
The Hollywood Reporter noted that “the sequel’s financial details remain undisclosed, but all performance indicators suggest a strong commercial outcome,” adding that the deal underscores Netflix’s ambition to expand its K-pop storytelling universe and strengthen its global fandom.
K-Pop Demon Hunters has surpassed 300 million views, becoming the most-watched film in Netflix’s history, while its theme song “Golden” earned the first-ever Grammy nomination for a K-pop track in the “Song of the Year” category.
알파경제 Kim Jisun (stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
