MANILA, Philippines — American metal band Demon Hunter has sued Netflix, accusing the streaming company of trademark infringement, false designation of origin and unfair competition over its “KPop Demon Hunters” global concert tour.
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday, Aug. 18, in federal court through the band’s company Hyde Lane, also names concert promoter AEG Presents as a defendant.
Hyde Lane claims the success of Netflix’s 2025 animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” has overshadowed the band’s name and that the concert tour has created confusion among the public.
The band cited an incident involving a customer who reportedly requested a refund after mistakenly buying a ticket to a Demon Hunter concert instead of a “KPop Demon Hunters” tour event.
Hyde Lane also claimed that a television producer contacted the company seeking an interview with one of the animated film’s songwriters, allegedly confusing the band with the film.
According to court documents obtained by Forbes, the band argued that it established the Demon Hunter mark first and has built its reputation around the name for decades.
Demon Hunter is seeking an injunction preventing Netflix from using the disputed materials. The band also wants the court to order the destruction of allegedly infringing materials in Netflix’s possession and award damages and legal fees.
Netflix and AEG Presents had not publicly commented on the lawsuit as of writing.
Demon Hunter, formed in Seattle in 2000, has released multiple metal albums and has maintained the Demon Hunter name for more than two decades.