Christian metal band Demon Hunter is suing Netflix over its animated hit KPop Demon Hunters, alleging trademark infringement and accusing the streamer of unfair competition as the shows success eclipses the bands brand.
The lawsuit was filed Tuesday by Hyde Lane, the corporate entity for Demon Hunter, against Netflix, Netflix Studios and concert promoter AEG Presents. Netflix said it is teaming up with AEG for a KPop Demon Hunters world concert tour set to launch in 2027.
The filing says Netflixs hit franchise has evolved from an animated movie into a music, merchandise and live-events brand that now overlaps with Hyde Lanes business, causing confusion for consumers.
Demon Hunter was formed at the turn of the century and, in the quarter-century since, it has consistently released albums, toured, and sold merchandise to a large and dedicated audience, states the lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the Central District of California.
Defendants have taken step after step to move into almost complete overlap with the goods and services offered by Hyde Lane under the DEMON HUNTER mark, it states.
According to the complaint, the bands concerns intensified after Netflix announced its KPop Demon Hunters tour, which Demon Hunter says expanded the franchise into the same live entertainment space where the band has operated for decades.
Netflix is no more entitled to use the mark KPOP DEMON HUNTERS than it would be to launch a recording artist, live touring show and merchandise under the marks KPOP METALLICA, KPOP U2 or KPOP BLACK SABBATH, the lawsuit says.
It listed several examples of confusion among customers, including a parent who asked for a refund from the company after mistakenly spending nearly $500 on tickets to a Demon Hunter concert in Albany, New York, in May, believing they were buying tickets for a KPop Demon Hunters show for them and their 5 and 6-year-old daughters.
The complaint also describes confusion around an interview request, when a producer from a television show reached out in March to Demon Hunter to request an interview with a songwriter associated with KPop Demon Hunters.
Demon Hunter is asking for a court order preventing the defendants from using the KPop Demon Hunters name in connection with music, merchandise and live entertainment. The lawsuit also asks for unspecified damages and a jury trial.
The bands next tour is scheduled to kick off in Louisville, Kentucky, on October 7, according to its website.
In a statement to CNN, Netflix rejected the allegations, writing: These allegations are without merit. Netflix has created an Academy Award-winning global phenomenon with KPop Demon Hunters that has inspired fans around the world with its powerful music, storytelling, and characters. We look forward to vigorously defending this matter.
According to Netflix, KPop Demon Hunters has amassed more than 600 million views since its June 2025 debut, making it the most popular original title in the companys history.
The soundtrack has generated more than 15 billion streams worldwide, while the film became the only title to spend 52 consecutive weeks in Netflixs Global Top 10.
CNN has reached out to AEG Presents for comment.
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