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KPop Demon Hunters is getting a sequel, Netflix and Sony have announced. Sony Pictures Animation handed the rights to the film to Netflix in 2021 as part of a larger licensing deal, but neither company could have expected how much of a hit it would ultimately become. Besides being Netflix's "most-watched movie of all time," KPop Demon Hunters is also nominated for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song at the 98th Academy Awards, and stands a good chance of winning.Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, the directors of the first film, are returning to direct the sequel. The project will be the first in the duo's new "exclusive multiyear writing and directing partnership" with Netflix, which is focused on animation. "I feel immense pride as a Korean filmmaker that the audience wants more from this Korean story and our Korean characters," Kang said in a statement. "There's so much more to this world we have built, and I'm excited to show you. This is only the beginning."IT'S OFFICIAL HUNTERS KPOP DEMON HUNTERS will return for a sequel written and directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans. I feel immense pride as a Korean filmmaker that the audience wants more from this Korean story and our Korean characters. Theres so much more to this pic.twitter.com/QjxD9CV4Hw Netflix (@netflix) March 12, 2026 "These characters are like family to us, their world has become our second home," Appelhans said. "We're excited to write their next chapter, challenge them, and watch them evolve and continue pushing the boundaries of how music, animation, and story can come together."To put KPop Demon Hunters popularity into perspective, the film had such a wide reach that Netflix was willing to set aside its aversion to theatrical releases and put it in theaters after it premiered on streaming. KPop Demon Hunters reportedly made over $19 million during its initial two-day theatrical run in August 2025, and Netflix has brought it back to theaters multiple times since then. That's on top of the more than 500 million views the film racked up on Netflix itself. Not making a sequel would essentially be leaving money on the table.According to Puck, the structure of Netflix's deal with Sony means it will likely be the only company directly profiting off a KPop Demon Hunters follow-up, however. "While Sony has the contractual right to produce any sequels or spinoffs," Puck reports, "it will make no additional money from the runaway success of the first film." Sweetening that deal could be one reason Netflix and Sony Pictures expanded their film licensing partnership in January, a deal that reportedly cost the streaming service over $7 billion to secure.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/kpop-demon-hunters-is-officially-getting-a-sequel-195038954.html?src=rss
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Instagram has long limited users' ability to share links, restricting link-sharing to Stories, Reels and user profiles. But that might now be changing. The company has started to test clickable links inside of post captions for subscribers to Meta Verified. The new feature, which has been a long-requested update from creators, was spotted by blogger Andrea Valeria, who posted screenshots of a clickable Substack link she was able to add to an Instagram post. According to Valeria, an in-app message indicated she could share up to 10 links a month.Meta confirmed to Engadget that it's testing links in captions for subscribers to Meta Verified, but didn't provide details on how many people have access to the feature or if it will be widely available. It does seem to be somewhat limited, however, as the link on Valeria's post appears on Instagram's mobile app, but now when viewing the same post on Instagram's website. Instagram's restrictions on link-sharing have been a notable part of the platform since its early days. The limitation helped kickstart an entire industry of "link in bio" platforms like Linktree, which help creators direct followers to off-platform websites based on what they share on Instagram. If Meta begins implementing the feature widely, it could drastically change how creators are able to interact with their followers (although a 10-link per month limit would likely still require "link in bio" solutions). The test is also the latest way that Meta has experimented with making link-sharing a paid feature. The company has also recently tested restricting creators' ability to share links on Facebook by requiring a Meta Verified subscription. Meta Verified for creators starts at $14.99 a month, with the most expensive plans costing $499.99 a month. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-is-testing-clickable-links-in-instagram-captions-for-verified-subscribers-184555406.html?src=rss
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European regulators are continuing to crack down on loot boxes and gaming features it classifies as "interactive risk categories." The Pan-European Game Information, better known as PEGI, is rolling out new rules that will apply age ratings based on the presence of loot boxes and other in-game purchases or systems that could be tied to gambling or addictive behavior. The exact policies are as follows:Purchases of in-game content: games with time-limited or quantity-limited offers will be classified with a PEGI 12, games with NFTs or blockchain-related mechanisms will be PEGI 18.Paid random items: the default rating will be PEGI 16 if the game contains paid random items (and in some cases they can be a PEGI 18).Play-by-appointment: mechanisms that reward returning to the game (e.g. daily quests) will get a PEGI 7. If these mechanisms punish players for not returning (e.g. by losing content or reducing progress) they will become PEGI 12.Safe online gameplay: if games contain entirely unrestricted communication features (e.g. no blocking or reporting), they will be PEGI 18.These changes will apply to newly submitted games beginning in June 2026. The messaging from the ratings body is that these rules are aimed at helping parents direct their children's online safety. "With the updated set of age rating criteria, PEGI aims to make parents aware that certain features in games should be carefully assessed, and that parental tools can be a very helpful assistant when doing that," PEGI Council Chair Beate Vje said.Many titles may see an impact from the new policy, some more drastic than others. Online shooters might seen a bump from PEGI 12 to PEGI 16, but a franchise like EA Sports FC would leap to at least PEGI 16 from its current installments rating of PEGI 3.Loot boxes have a history of causing strife among regulators. In 2018, Belgium determined that loot boxes were a form of gambling and made them illegal. Other nations have taken similar measures to restrict or prohibit this game mechanic, which has already led some game studios to limit access to their titles. For instance, Blizzard's free-to-play Diablo Immortaldidn't launch in Belgium or the Netherlands due to their laws connecting loot boxes and gambling. Stateside, there has been a renewed push against the concept, with the New York attorney general suing Valve over loot boxes. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pegi-ratings-for-game-releases-in-europe-will-be-age-restricted-if-they-contain-loot-boxes-184325819.html?src=rss
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