'K-Pop: Demon Hunters' Is An Animated Musical About A K-Pop Girl Group That Hunts Demons (Obviously)
Hey, are you interested in a movie about a K-Pop girl group? What if I told you the movie was animated? And then what if I told you the movie was also a musical? And then, just for fun, what if I added that the K-Pop girl group also hunts demons? Because that's exactly what's going on in the appropriately named K-Pop: Demon Hunters, a new movie from Sony Pictures Animation. Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans are directing the project, which is currently in production.
Variety has the scoop on K-Pop: Demon Hunters, a movie that's clearly not being shy about what it's trying to sell. The movie is described as "an action-adventure that follows a world-renowned girl group, as they balance their lives in the spotlight with their secret identities as demon hunters. It will be set against a colorful backdrop of fashion, food, style, and music." I'm not exactly well-versed in the world of K-Pop, but I will admit this sounds like it has the potential to be fun. K-Pop has only become more popular in recent years, so there's definitely going to be a big audience for this.
Maggie Kang, a story artist for movies like Rise of the Guardians, Puss in Boots, Trolls, and The Croods: A New Age is teaming up with Chris Appelhans (Wish Dragon) to direct the project for Sony Pictures Animation, with Kang saying: "Having been a fan of the genre since its beginnings in the '90s, this film is my love letter to K-Pop and my Korean roots. It encompasses and celebrates everything K-Pop is – it's the film I would want to see as a lifelong fan and I hope the millions of K-Pop fans out there in the world will feel the same."
Appelhans added that he "always wanted to do a film about the power of music – to unite, bring joy, build community. K-Pop is the greatest embodiment of this in our lifetime, and we're really excited to honor and showcase that through the lens of animation."
Hannah McMechan and Danya Jimenez, who write as a team under the name Hanya, are handling the script, while Aron Warner, producer of Shrek, is producing. Other members of the team include production designer Mingjue Helen Chen (Raya and the Last Dragon, Big Hero 6) and art director Ami Thompson (Raya and the Last Dragon, Ralph Breaks the Internet). There's no release date in place just yet, and it's unclear how far along the project is at the moment. For now, though, you can check out some art that Sony Pictures Animation released via social media.