KPop Demon Hunters was a resounding success for Netflix, coming out of nowhere to become the platform’s most-watched movie of all time and spawning several of last year’s biggest pop hits. It was less of a success for Demon Hunter, the Christian metal band that presumably has been getting mogged in the search bar ever…
This seems like a stretch. The MOVIE had a similar name to the BAND. Remember in 2013 when a movie came out literally called “Rush”? Geddy Lee didn’t take Ron Howard to court. Trademarks do not transcend all trades/media. Nintendo has a line of Demon Hunter games. D&D has a class Demon Hunter.
Using search results as the basis is borderline nonsense. Apply that logic to say, a disaster. “Ever since the town of Metallica exploded our search results are down, so we’re taking them to court!” Nonsense. How about science? “Since it was announced comet KMFDM, a name derived using some standard naming convention, was announced to be slamming into earth next year, our search results are way down!”. TRADEmark, not OWNTHEWORDSmark.
The KPop band is called HUNTR/X. If they had been called Demon Hunters then yeah, probably a case.
Nintendo has a line of Demon Hunter games. D&D has a class Demon Hunter.
Fwiw, games and video games fall into difference Nice classes (commercial areas of application of trade marks). Without those things being international household names in and of themselves then it’s not relevant; unless you were saying that Nintendo or a D&D company had registered the trade marks for music already.
If you read the article, it’s NOT about the movie at all.
It’s about the fact that Netflix and AEG are running live concerts under the event name “Kpop Demon Hunters”. NOT the band HUNTR/X.
And the actual band Demon Hunter has evidence that people bought tickets to their show thinking it was the Netflix live show, then requested refunds because of the confusion
So… yeah they do have a case. The live shows are running under the name Demon Hunters, directly confusing people with the actual band Demon Hunter. Especially parents that aren’t really familiar with either, but just want to buy tickets for their kids. Which they say they have direct evidence of people buying tickets then requesting refunds because they were confused about the name.
This seems like a stretch. The MOVIE had a similar name to the BAND. Remember in 2013 when a movie came out literally called “Rush”? Geddy Lee didn’t take Ron Howard to court. Trademarks do not transcend all trades/media. Nintendo has a line of Demon Hunter games. D&D has a class Demon Hunter.
Using search results as the basis is borderline nonsense. Apply that logic to say, a disaster. “Ever since the town of Metallica exploded our search results are down, so we’re taking them to court!” Nonsense. How about science? “Since it was announced comet KMFDM, a name derived using some standard naming convention, was announced to be slamming into earth next year, our search results are way down!”. TRADEmark, not OWNTHEWORDSmark.
The KPop band is called HUNTR/X. If they had been called Demon Hunters then yeah, probably a case.
Fwiw, games and video games fall into difference Nice classes (commercial areas of application of trade marks). Without those things being international household names in and of themselves then it’s not relevant; unless you were saying that Nintendo or a D&D company had registered the trade marks for music already.
If you read the article, it’s NOT about the movie at all.
It’s about the fact that Netflix and AEG are running live concerts under the event name “Kpop Demon Hunters”. NOT the band HUNTR/X.
And the actual band Demon Hunter has evidence that people bought tickets to their show thinking it was the Netflix live show, then requested refunds because of the confusion
So… yeah they do have a case. The live shows are running under the name Demon Hunters, directly confusing people with the actual band Demon Hunter. Especially parents that aren’t really familiar with either, but just want to buy tickets for their kids. Which they say they have direct evidence of people buying tickets then requesting refunds because they were confused about the name.