NetflixPhysical releases are rare these days, but "KPop Demon Hunters" is the exception to the exception. The animated film about girl group HUNTR/X — K-pop idols by day, demon hunters by night — is now joining the Criterion Collection, the label famous for restoring classic films and packing them with director-approved special features. It's now sharing shelf space with Pixar's "Wall-E" and Oscar winner "Flow."
According to details released by Criterion, the film will get a special edition Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD release on December 31st, with pre-orders already open in both the US and UK. The bonus features haven't been announced yet, but Criterion has already dropped exclusive cover art starring the HUNTR/X trio, alongside Derpy, the supernatural tiger character who's already built up a mini cult following among fans.
The film remainsNetflix'smost-watched movie of all time, and the studio has confirmed a sequel and a live concert tour are both in the works. It's already rare for a streaming-native animated film to get picked up by Criterion at all — this pick alone puts "KPop Demon Hunters" among the small handful of animated works considered worth preserving for good.
Ejae, who voices Rumi's singing parts, recently told The Times that she got thrown off during a BAFTA awards performance after spotting Leonardo DiCaprio in the audience. "That BAFTA performance still haunts me," she said. "My voice cracked a little on a high note. Leonardo DiCaprio was sitting right in front of me, completely stone-faced." She pointed to a high note in "Born To Be" as the moment she got most rattled: "That moment totally threw me off. It's nerve-wracking enough performing in front of that many celebrities, and then I looked up and locked eyes with Leonardo DiCaprio — anyone would've panicked."
