The idea of a K-pop-inspired animated feature sounds like a no-brainer, especially seeing as how the musical genre already incorporates bold visuals into its presentation. Credit to Sony’s animation unit for latching onto something that’s both culturally relevant and has loads of commercial potential. It sounds like the type of project that, like Spider-Verse, will continue to set them apart from the rest of the U.S. animation industry.
The proposed feature is set to be directed by Maggie Kang (head of story, The Lego Ninjago Movie) and Chris Appelhans (Wish Dragon), and produced by Aron Warner (Shrek, Wish Dragon).
Here’s what Sony has revealed about the project:
The proposed feature is set to be directed by Maggie Kang (head of story, The Lego Ninjago Movie) and Chris Appelhans (Wish Dragon), and produced by Aron Warner (Shrek, Wish Dragon).
Here’s what Sony has revealed about the project:
- Logline: It will follow “the story of a world-renowned K-Pop girl group, as they balance their lives in the spotlight with their secret identities as bad-ass demon hunters, set against a colorful backdrop of fashion, food, style and the most popular music movement of this generation.”
- Key artists leading the development are 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).
- Says Kang: “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.”
- Says Appelhans: “I’ve 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.”
Sony Pictures Animation has announced development on K-Pop: Demon Hunters (working title), a musical action-adventure feature that taps into the global phenomenon that is Korean pop music.
