“KPop Demon Hunters” creator Maggie Kang believes there is potential for more Huntr/x stories in the future, but only in animation.
In a recent interview with the BBC, the co-director of the Netflix phenomenon said that there is nothing officially in the works, but she believes that “there is definitely more we can do with these characters in this world.” Kang and his co-director Chris Appelhans also assured fans that if another “KPop Demon Hunters” were to happen, “it will be a story that deserves to be a sequel and will be something we want to see.”
Produced by Sony Pictures Animation, the film follows a popular K-pop girl group whose members use their music and dance moves (and magical powers) to fight demons and protect the world. But Huntr/x leader Rumi is keeping a secret from her bandmates Mira and Zoey that could lead to their downfall.
Since its debut in June, “KPop Demon Hunters” and its catchy soundtrack have broken numerous records on Netflix and Billboard charts. The film's enormous popularity led to a limited theatrical run for singing screenings and live performances of its songs.
With Hollywood's current trend of sequels and remakes, it's easy to believe that “KPop Demon Hunters” could spawn its own franchise. But both Kang and Appelhans insist that a live-action adaptation should be off the table.
“It's really hard to imagine these characters in a live-action world,” Kang told the BBC, pointing out the tone and comedic elements of “KPop.” “It would feel too grounded. So it wouldn't work for me.”
Appelhans agreed that the “KPop Demon Hunters” characters are best suited for animation and worries that a live-action version of them might seem too “forced.”
“One of the great things about animation is that you can create these incredibly large compositions of attributes,” Appelhans told the BBC. “Rumi can be this goofy comedian and then sing and kick back a second later and then fall freely through the sky. The joy of animation is how far you can push and elevate what's possible.”
For now, it seems that Huntr/x will continue to shine only in the medium it was born for: animation.
