Federal lawsuit with case number confirmed
Hyde Lane, Inc., which operates Demon Hunter, filed a lawsuit on August 18, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. The case number listed on the public docket is 2:2026cv09191, and the case type is identified as a trademark dispute. The defendants listed are Netflix, Inc., Netflix Studios, LLC, AEG Presents, LLC and Doe defendants.
[View the public court docket](https://dockets.justia.com/docket/california/cacdce/2%3A2026cv09191)
The uses challenged by the plaintiff
According to reports, Hyde Lane alleged that the name “KPop Demon Hunters” and related expansion activities create a likelihood of consumer confusion with Demon Hunter’s trademark. Reported contents of the complaint included demands for relief to stop Netflix-related use of names involving recorded music, live performances and merchandise, as well as a claim for damages.
One example cited in the complaint, according to reports, involved a consumer who allegedly mistook tickets for a Demon Hunter concert in Albany in February 2026 for a “KPop Demon Hunters” concert and paid approximately $500. However, this example and the individual claims have not been established as facts by the court; they are allegations presented in the plaintiff’s complaint and in media reports.
The central issue in this case is not just the film title itself, but whether consumer confusion occurred in the areas of music, performances and merchandise.
What is “KPop Demon Hunters”?
Netflix Tudum describes “KPop Demon Hunters” as a Netflix animated film produced in collaboration with Sony Pictures Animation. According to the official premise, K-pop stars Rumi, Mira and Zoey secretly hunt demons.
Records of applications and opposition proceedings involving Netflix Studios, LLC’s “KPOP DEMON HUNTERS” mark can also be found in publicly available documents from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. However, the complete registration history of the Demon Hunter trademark and the scope of its goods and services cannot be confirmed from the available materials alone.
The disputed brand shown in the official trailer
The video below is the official trailer for “KPop Demon Hunters” from Netflix’s official channel. It provides reference material for how the film and Netflix use and promote the name.
[Watch the original official Netflix trailer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzCAwdp1uIQ)
Netflix’s response and the current legal status
Multiple media outlets reported that Netflix responded to coverage of the lawsuit by saying, in substance, that the allegations were without merit. This response was confirmed through media reports, not through an official Netflix legal statement.
As of August 30, 2026, no record has been found showing that a court has ruled that trademark infringement occurred. No damages or injunction has been finalized, and whether trademark infringement and consumer confusion occurred remain issues for the court to decide after considering the plaintiff’s allegations and the defendants’ rebuttal.
The following points have been confirmed in this case:
- The lawsuit was filed on August 18, 2026.
- The case number is 2:2026cv09191.
- The defendants include Netflix, Netflix Studios and AEG Presents.
- The plaintiff challenged the use of names related to music, live performances and merchandise, alleging consumer confusion.
- No final court ruling, damages award or injunction has been issued yet.
Sources reviewed
- [Public docket of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California](https://dockets.justia.com/docket/california/cacdce/2%3A2026cv09191) — checked August 30, 2026
- [The Guardian report](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/aug/19/kpop-demon-hunters-netflix-lawsuit) — checked August 30, 2026
- [Los Angeles Times report](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2026-08-19/christian-band-demon-hunter-kpop-demon-hunters-trademark-lawsuit-netflix) — checked August 30, 2026
- [Official Netflix Tudum overview](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/kpop-demon-hunters-cast) — checked August 30, 2026
- [USPTO TTAB public document](https://ttabvue.uspto.gov/ttabvue/ttabvue-91305359-OPP-1.pdf) — checked August 30, 2026
- [Report on Netflix’s response](https://blabbermouth.net/news/netflix-on-demon-hunters-lawsuit-over-kpop-demon-hunters-trademark-these-allegations-are-without-merit) — checked August 30, 2026