Seattle-based Christian heavy metal band Demon Hunter, through its corporate entity Hyde Lane Incorporated, has issued a claim against Netflix and AEG Presents, creator and live producer respectively of the animated film KPop Demon Hunters, in the Central District of California Court. It follows after Demon Hunter, formed in 2000, received numerous instances of actual confusion from television producers and KPop Demon Hunters fans, who had purchased tickets to see Demon Hunter in concert expecting to see a live rendition of the tracks from the Netflix movie.
Demon Hunter owns numerous US registered trade marks for ‘DEMON HUNTER’ (word), registered in 2025, and also holds one pending US trade mark application for the same mark, filed on 3 December 2025. The application in particular is noteworthy, as it was filed a month after Netflix filed its similar own trade mark for ‘KPOP DEMON HUNTERS’ in the same class 41 for at least similar goods and services.
Demon Hunter alleges that Netlix and AEG Presents have committed trade mark infringement and offences of unfair competition, with strong evidence of actual confusion between the band and events under the name of the movie, with this also causing harm to the long-standing goodwill and reputation of the band.
The likely outcome cannot be predicted as the claim is still in its early stages. Given the sheer scale of Netflix and ‘KPop Demon Hunters’, this case will be one to watch for fans and stakeholders alike.
If you have any questions on the above, or if you need any advice or support in respect of your own intellectual property, please do not hesitate to contact the team at McDaniels Law on 0191 281 4000 or legal@mcdanielslaw.com.
