James Cameron Praises Netflix’s Latest Surprise Hit

KPop Demon Hunters has become one of Netflix’s biggest surprises of 2025, but one of the more unexpected reactions came from filmmaker James Cameron.

According to Empire, Cameron watched the movie and said, “That’s a pretty good film.” His reaction added even more attention to a movie that was already becoming a global hit.

The film was directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans and produced by Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix. It tells the story of Huntrix, a K-pop girl group that secretly works as demon hunters while dealing with a rival boy band, the Saja Boys, who are actually demons. Kang said the movie came from her interest in Korean culture and mythology, and she mixed those ideas with the energy of K-pop.

KPop Demon Hunters started streaming on Netflix on June 20. Soon after, it was being talked about in major outlets as a cultural moment. Many praised its visuals, animation, music, and voice cast. Sony Pictures Imageworks animated the movie, using ideas from concert lighting, music videos, and anime to create a bright, stylish world.

Netflix later gave the movie a sing-along theatrical release from August 23 to 24 and again around Halloween. It opened in 1,700 theaters, which was the widest release ever for a Netflix movie. It also became the first Netflix title to reach the top of the U.S. weekend box office. TheWrap reported that it earned $19.2 million in the United States and Canada during its run and that it could have made around $100 million if it had never streamed first.

Writers at The A.V. Club and The Wall Street Journal said the movie’s huge buzz pushed Netflix to give it a rare theatrical release.

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