Christian metal band Demon Hunter is suing Netflix in a US trademark lawsuit over the streaming giant's hit animated film Kpop Demon Hunters, claiming its name causes "substantial confusion" with the band's own brand. The band's company, Hyde Lane, argues that Netflix's plans for a global concert tour alongside the film and its merchandise create "almost complete overlap" with the band's activities, and says the 25-year-old group now faces an "existential crisis" as a result.

The complaint, filed on Tuesday against Netflix Studios and promoter AEG Presents, cites evidence including a fan who allegedly spent $500 on Demon Hunter concert tickets in New York believing it was a children's Kpop show, and a TV producer who mistakenly contacted the band's management. The Seattle five-piece, who have 350,000 monthly Spotify listeners compared with 27 million for the Kpop Demon Hunters cast, registered "Demon Hunter" as a trademark in 2022. Netflix's film, which has become the streamer's most-watched original title and won awards at the 2026 Golden Globes and Oscars, is due to launch a global live tour in 2027, with a sequel already in the works.