Demon Hunter, a Christian metal band, has taken legal action against Netflix for allegedly infringing on their trademark with the popular film “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 trademark.
According to the complaint, Demon Hunter, founded in Seattle in 2000 by brothers Ryan Clark and Don Clark, has released 13 albums and achieved significant sales, including one million album equivalents when considering streaming numbers. Their latest album, “There Was a Light Here,” was released in 2025.
The film “KPop Demon Hunters,” released by Netflix in June 2025, tells the story of members of the Huntrix K-pop girl group who also work as demon hunters. It has become Netflix’s most-watched movie, with over 325.1 million views as of March.
Demon Hunter has reported instances of confusion between the band and the film since the movie’s release. One incident involved a mistaken ticket purchase for a concert, where a parent believed they were buying tickets for a “KPop Demon Hunters” show. Additionally, a producer from “Inside Edition” mistakenly contacted Demon Hunter for an interview with Yu Han Lee, a songwriter associated with the film, not the band.
Social media users have also incorrectly used the hashtag #DemonHunter in posts related to “KPop Demon Hunters,” further contributing to the confusion. The band’s legal representative, John Tehranian, declined to comment on the matter.
Netflix has responded, stating that they will contest the lawsuit, asserting that the claims are unfounded. The company highlighted the success of “KPop Demon Hunters” as a global phenomenon that has resonated with fans worldwide. They expressed their readiness to defend against the legal challenge.
