A Christian metal band known as Demon Hunter has taken legal action against Netflix, claiming the streaming service has caused confusion with its popular movie “KPop Demon Hunters,” infringing on the band’s trademark. The lawsuit, filed on August 18, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California by lawyers representing Hyde Lane Inc., the parent company of Demon Hunter, asserts that the film’s title is too closely related to the band’s trademarked name. Hyde Lane holds the official trademark for “Demon Hunter.”
The complaint highlights the clash between the protection of intellectual property rights and the pursuit of profits by major corporations. Founded in Seattle in 2000 by brothers Ryan Clark and Don Clark (who departed in 2009), Demon Hunter has a history of releasing 13 albums and achieving significant sales, equivalent to one million albums when considering streaming figures. The band’s latest album, “There Was a Light Here,” was released in 2025.
Netflix premiered “KPop Demon Hunters” in June 2025, narrating the story of members from Huntrix, a K-pop girl group engaged in demon hunting activities. The film has become Netflix’s most-viewed movie to date, amassing over 325.1 million views by March, according to Netflix.
Following the release of the movie, Demon Hunter has encountered individuals mistakenly associating the band with “KPop Demon Hunters.” Instances include a parent requesting a ticket refund in February after mistakenly purchasing tickets for what they believed was a show by “KPop Demon Hunters.”
Additionally, a producer from the TV show “Inside Edition” contacted Demon Hunter’s management inquiring about booking “Yu-Han Lee” for an interview regarding an Oscar win. Notably, Yu-Han Lee is not affiliated with Demon Hunter but is a songwriter who won the 2026 Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Golden,” featured in “KPop Demon Hunters.”
The complaint also mentions the misuse of the hashtag #DemonHunter on social media in reference to “KPop Demon Hunters.” The legal representation for Demon Hunter, John Tehranian, declined to comment at this time, while Netflix has stated its intention to challenge the lawsuit, asserting that the allegations are baseless and emphasizing the global success and impact of “KPop Demon Hunters.”