Demon Hunter sues Netflix over KPop Demon Hunters trademark clash

Demon Hunter, the Christian metalcore band formed in Seattle in 2000 by brothers Ryan and Don Clark, is taking legal action against Netflix over the streaming giant's hit film KPop Demon Hunters. The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday by the band's corporate entity Hyde Lane, names Netflix, Netflix Studios, and AEG Presents as defendants. The band argues that the 2025 urban fantasy film, centered on a demon-hunting K-pop trio called Huntrix, has created a "substantial likelihood of confusion" among consumers. Hyde Lane registered the "Demon Hunter" trademark in 2014 under entertainment and live performances, with additional protections for recorded music and merchandise added in 2022.

The band's legal team points to a concrete example of confusion: a fan reportedly requested a refund after mistakenly purchasing US$500 tickets for a Demon Hunter concert, believing it was tied to the Netflix film. The confusion worsened when plans for a KPop Demon Hunters global concert tour were announced in May, developed in partnership with AEG Presents. Demon Hunter claims the film's success has "eclipsed" the group's established identity and "commercial fate." The band has released 12 studio albums, boasts over 348,000 monthly Spotify listeners, and has millions of views on early music videos, including "Dead Flowers" and "Someone to Hate." Netflix and AEG have not yet publicly commented on the lawsuit, which could set a precedent for how film and music brands navigate overlapping names in the streaming era.