Christian metal band Demon Hunter has taken legal action against Netflix, alleging trademark infringement due to the streaming platform’s popular movie, 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 bears a striking resemblance to the band’s trademarked name.
According to the complaint, Demon Hunter, founded by brothers Ryan Clark and Don Clark in Seattle in 2000, has released 13 albums and achieved substantial album sales, including streaming figures totaling one million albums. The band’s latest album, There Was a Light Here, was launched in 2025.
Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters, released in June 2025, tells the story of Huntrix, a K-pop girl group engaged in demon hunting, and has become Netflix’s most-viewed film, garnering over 325.1 million views by March. Following the movie’s release, Demon Hunter has encountered confusion among individuals mistaking the band for characters in the film.
The complaint highlights instances of misidentification, such as a parent requesting a concert ticket refund under the assumption of attending a KPop Demon Hunters show instead of a Demon Hunter concert. Additionally, a producer from the TV show Inside Edition mistakenly reached out to book a member not associated with the band for an interview related to an Oscar win attributed to a songwriter from KPop Demon Hunters.
Social media users have further compounded the confusion by incorrectly utilizing the #DemonHunter hashtag in reference to KPop Demon Hunters. The lawsuit emphasizes Netflix’s alleged infringement on the band’s trademark, likening it to unauthorized use of iconic band names like Metallica, U2, or Black Sabbath in the K-pop genre.
Legal counsel for Demon Hunter, John Tehranian, declined to provide comments on the ongoing situation, while Netflix responded through a statement to CBC News expressing its intent to contest the lawsuit, asserting that the allegations lack merit. The streaming platform defended its movie, emphasizing its global impact and audience inspiration, and expressed readiness to robustly defend its position in the legal dispute.
