Christian metal band Demon Hunter has taken legal action against Netflix, alleging trademark infringement due to the streaming platform’s release of the popular movie “KPop Demon Hunters.” The lawsuit, filed on August 18, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California by Hyde Lane Inc., the parent company of Demon Hunter, claims that the film’s title is too closely related to the band’s trademarked name.
Demon Hunter, founded by brothers Ryan Clark and Don Clark in Seattle in 2000, has a significant musical career, having released 13 albums and achieving sales equivalent to one million albums, including streaming numbers. Their latest album, “There Was a Light Here,” debuted in 2025.
Netflix premiered “KPop Demon Hunters” in June 2025, a movie depicting members of Huntrix, a K-pop girl group engaged in battling demons. The film set a record as Netflix’s most-viewed movie, amassing over 325.1 million views by March of the following year.
Since the movie’s release, Demon Hunter has encountered instances of mistaken identity, with individuals contacting the band under the assumption of their association with “KPop Demon Hunters.” One incident involved a parent seeking a refund for concert tickets, mistakenly purchased under the belief that they were for a show related to the film.
Furthermore, the complaint highlights a misdirected interview request from the TV show “Inside Edition” meant for a songwriter featured in “KPop Demon Hunters,” not affiliated with Demon Hunter. Social media misuse of the hashtag #DemonHunter in relation to the film has also been noted.
The legal representation for Demon Hunter, led by attorney John Tehranian, refrained from providing comments at this stage. In response, Netflix expressed intent to contest the lawsuit, dismissing the allegations as unfounded. The company emphasized the global impact and success of “KPop Demon Hunters,” pledging to vigorously defend its position in the legal dispute.