Editing 20th Century Studios (section)

=== Disney era ===
{{Further|Acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney}}
On December 14, 2017, Disney announced plans to purchase most of 21st Century Fox, including 20th Century Fox, for $52.4&nbsp;billion.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Snider |first=Mike |date=December 14, 2017 |title=Disney to buy key 21st Century Fox assets for $52.4 billion |work=USA Today |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2017/12/14/disney-21st-century-fox/945309001/ |access-date=August 13, 2019}}</ref> After a bid from [[Comcast]] (owner of [[NBCUniversal]]) for $65&nbsp;billion, Disney counterbid with $71.3&nbsp;billion.<ref name="Comcast bid update">{{Cite news |date=June 13, 2018 |title=Comcast bids $65 billion for 21st Century Fox assets, topping Disney |publisher=[[CNBC]] |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/13/comcast-bids-65-billion-for-21st-century-fox-assets.html |access-date=June 13, 2018}}</ref> On July 19, 2018, Comcast dropped out of the bid for 21st Century Fox in favor of [[Sky (company)|Sky plc]] and [[Sky UK]]. Eight days later, Disney and 21st Century Fox shareholders approved the merger between the two companies.<ref name="Approval" /> Although the deal was completed on March 20, 2019,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hayes |first1=Dade |last2=Patten |first2=Dominic |date=February 27, 2019 |title=Disney-Fox Deal Nears Final Approval After Progress In Brazil And Mexico |url=https://deadline.com/2019/02/disney-fox-deal-nears-finish-line-progress-in-brazil-mexico-1202565767/ |access-date=February 27, 2019 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/03/disney-sets-march-20-closing-date-for-21st-century-fox-acquisition-1202574146/|title=Disney Sets March 20 Closing Date For 21st Century Fox Acquisition|last1=Petski|first1=Denise|last2=Hayes|first2=Dade|date=March 12, 2019|website=Deadline|access-date=March 12, 2019}}</ref> 20th Century Fox was not planning to relocate to [[Walt Disney Studios (Burbank)|Walt Disney Studios]] in [[Burbank, California|Burbank]], but retained its headquarters at the Fox Studio Lot in the [[Century City]] area of Los Angeles, which is currently leased to Disney by 21st Century Fox's successor, [[Fox Corporation]], for seven years.<ref name="vty3">{{Cite news |last=Holloway |first=Daniel |date=December 14, 2017 |title=Disney to Lease Fox Lot for Seven Years (EXCLUSIVE) |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2017/biz/news/disney-fox-lot-1202641181/ |access-date=May 3, 2019}}</ref> Various units were moved out from under 20th Century Fox at acquisition in months after the merger along with several rounds of layoffs. The Fox Research Library was folded into the Walt Disney Archives and [[Walt Disney Imagineering]] Archives in January 2020.<ref name="AWN Layoffs">{{Cite web |last=Sarto |first=Dan |date=August 2, 2019 |title=Disney Announces New Round of Layoffs and Closure of Fox Research Library |url=https://www.awn.com/news/disney-announces-new-round-layoffs-and-closure-fox-research-library |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190803133852/https://www.awn.com/news/disney-announces-new-round-layoffs-and-closure-fox-research-library |archive-date=August 3, 2019 |access-date=August 22, 2019 |website=Animation World Network}}</ref><ref name="Lang">{{Cite news |last1=Lang |first1=Brent |last2=Donnelly |first2=Matt |date=August 1, 2019 |title=Disney Layoffs Continue as Key Production, VFX Executives Are Let Go (EXCLUSIVE) |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/disney-fox-layoffs-2-1203288499/ |url-status=live |access-date=August 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190802140814/https://variety.com/2019/film/news/disney-fox-layoffs-2-1203288499/ |archive-date=August 2, 2019}}</ref> The last film to use the "20th Century Fox" name was ''[[Underwater (film)|Underwater]]'', which was released on January 10, 2020.

After the box office failures of films like ''[[Dark Phoenix (film)|Dark Phoenix]]'' and ''[[Stuber (film)|Stuber]],'' Disney [[Acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney#Aftermath (March 2019–present)|halted development on several projects]], though films such as ''[[Free Guy]]'' and the ''[[Avatar (franchise)|Avatar]]'' sequels managed to continue production. Fox's slate would be reduced to 10 films per year, half of them being made for the [[Hulu]] and then-upcoming [[Disney+]] streaming services. Projects from 20th Century Fox franchises such as ''[[Star Wars]]'', ''[[Home Alone (franchise)|Home Alone]]'', ''[[Cheaper by the Dozen (franchise)|Cheaper by the Dozen]]'', ''[[Night at the Museum (franchise)|Night at the Museum]]'', ''[[Diary of a Wimpy Kid (film series)|Diary of a Wimpy Kid]]'', and [[Ice Age (franchise)|''Ice Age'']] were later announced for Disney+.<ref name="donnelly1">{{Cite news |last=Donnelly |first=Matt |date=August 13, 2019 |title=Fox Feels the Pressure From Disney As Film Flops Mount|work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2019/film/features/fox-disney-earnings-dark-phoenix-stuber-racing-in-the-rain-1203300260/ |access-date=August 13, 2019}}</ref> These projects would later be fully revealed during Disney's Investor Day in December 2020 as feature films for the aforementioned streaming service.<ref>{{cite web|last=Peters|first=Jay|date=December 10, 2020|title=Here are all the new Marvel, Star Wars, and other projects Disney announced at its investor day|url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/12/10/22167976/disney-investor-day-2020-biggest-announcements-plus-marvel-star-wars-pixar-animation|access-date=December 11, 2020|website=The Verge|archive-date=December 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201211081613/https://www.theverge.com/2020/12/10/22167976/disney-investor-day-2020-biggest-announcements-plus-marvel-star-wars-pixar-animation|url-status=live}}</ref> The first of these projects was ''[[Home Sweet Home Alone]]'', which was released on November 12, 2021.

On January 17, 2020, Disney renamed the studio to "20th Century Studios", which served to help avoid brand confusion with Fox Corporation.<ref>{{cite web|title=2020 Annual Report|url=https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/app/uploads/2021/01/2020-Annual-Report.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=October 2, 2021|website=The Walt Disney Company|page=79|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106142916/https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/app/uploads/2021/01/2020-Annual-Report.pdf |archive-date=January 6, 2022}}</ref> Similar to other Disney film units, distribution of 20th Century Studios films is now handled in North America by [[Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures]] and internationally by their sub-division [[Buena Vista International]], while [[Searchlight Pictures]] operates their own autonomous distribution and marketing unit.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |date=January 30, 2020 |title=Emma Watts Leaves Disney's 20th Century Studios |work=Deadline |url=https://deadline.com/2020/01/emma-watts-leaves-disneys-20th-century-studios-1202846855/ |access-date=February 3, 2020 |quote=Post-merger, Fox Searchlight, now re-branded Searchlight Pictures, enjoys a lot of autonomy in the Disney empire, greenlighting pics they know and operating their own distribution, publicity and marketing teams. 20th Century Studios (which recently dropped the Fox) was melded into the bigger Disney fold, fusing all its operations.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=D'Alessandro|first=Anthony|date=January 4, 2022|title=Disney Claims $1.17B, While Sony Says $1B+: The Conundrum Of The 2021 Domestic Box Office Marketshare|work=Deadline|url=https://deadline.com/2022/01/domestic-box-office-2021-marketshare-disney-sony-1234904531/|access-date=January 4, 2022}}</ref> [[Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment]] distributes the films produced by 20th Century and Searchlight in home media under the [[20th Century Home Entertainment]] label. The first film released by Disney under the studio's new name was ''[[The Call of the Wild (2020 film)|The Call of the Wild]]'', which was released on February 21, 2020.<ref name="vty-2CS">{{cite web |last=Vary |first=Adam B. |date=January 17, 2020 |title=Disney Drops Fox Name, Will Rebrand as 20th Century Studios, Searchlight Pictures |url=https://variety.com/2020/film/news/disney-dropping-fox-20th-century-studios-1203470349/ |access-date=January 17, 2020 |website=Variety}}</ref> That same year, ''[[Ford v Ferrari|Ford vs. Ferrari]]'' (2019), among its four Academy Award nominations, earned the studio its first Best Picture nomination post-Disney acquisition.

In the same year, held-over production president Emma Watts left the company.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lang |first=Brent |date=January 30, 2020 |title=Emma Watts Resigns as Twentieth Century Studios Production President |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2020/film/news/emma-watts-twentieth-century-studios-disney-1203486971/ |access-date=January 30, 2020}}</ref> On March 12, 2020, Steve Asbell was named president, production of 20th Century Studios, while Morrison was named president, streaming, Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production to oversee live-action development and production of [[Walt Disney Pictures]] and 20th Century Studios for [[Disney+]]. Philip Steuer will now lead physical and post-production and VFX, as president of production at Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production. Randi Hiller will now lead casting as executive VP casting, overseeing both Walt Disney Pictures and 20th Century Studios. Steuer has served as executive VP of physical production for Walt Disney Studios since 2015, and Hiller has led casting for Walt Disney Studios since 2011. Both will dual-report to Asbell and [[Sean Bailey]].<ref name="AsbellPresident">{{cite web |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |date=March 12, 2020 |title=Steve Asbell Takes Over 20th Century Studios Post Emma Watts; Vanessa Morrison Named Walt Disney Studios Streaming Production President |url=https://deadline.com/2020/03/20th-century-studios-disney-steve-asbell-president-emma-watts-departure-vanessa-morrison-walt-disney-streaming-1202881273/ |access-date=March 12, 2020 |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]}}</ref>

On September 1, 2020, the Japanese branch of 20th Century Studios, 20th Century Fox Japan, was absorbed into Disney Japan; 20th Century Studios' previous involvement with [[Toei Company]] as the Japanese co-distributor and Asian distributor for [[List of Dragon Ball films|''Dragon Ball'']] films ended and were later taken over by [[Crunchyroll]] and [[Sony Pictures Releasing]] (via [[Sony Pictures Releasing International]]).<ref name="otakuindustry.biz">{{Cite web |date=2020-09-01 |title=21世紀FOXジャパン、解散公告を官報に掲載 {{!}} オタク産業通信 ：ゲーム、マンガ、アニメ、ノベルの業界ニュース |url=https://otakuindustry.biz/archives/99817 |website=Otakuindustry.biz |language=ja |accessdate=2021-08-14 |archive-date=2021-08-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210804121207/https://otakuindustry.biz/archives/99817 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On February 9, 2021, Disney announced that [[Blue Sky Studios]] was shut down in April 2021, and was succeeded by [[20th Century Animation]].<ref name="DeadlineStudioClose">{{cite web|last=D'Alessandro|first=Anthony|date=February 9, 2021|title=Disney Closing Blue Sky Studios, Fox's Once-Dominant Animation House Behind 'Ice Age' Franchise|url=https://deadline.com/2021/02/blue-sky-studios-closing-disney-ice-age-franchise-animation-1234690310/|access-date=February 9, 2021|website=Deadline|archive-date=February 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209175505/https://deadline.com/2021/02/blue-sky-studios-closing-disney-ice-age-franchise-animation-1234690310/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Giardina">{{cite web|last=Giardina|first=Carolyn|date=February 9, 2021|title=Disney Shutting Blue Sky Animation Studio|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/disney-to-shutter-ice-age-animation-studio-blue-sky-4130226/|url-status=live|access-date=April 11, 2022|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210209202052/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/amp/behind-screen/disney-to-shutter-ice-age-animation-studio-blue-sky  |archive-date = February 9, 2021  }}</ref> A spokesperson for the company explained that in light of the ongoing [[Coronavirus pandemic]]'s continued economic impact on all of its businesses, it was no longer sustainable for them to run a third feature animation studio. In addition, production on a film adaptation of the webcomic ''[[Nimona (film)|Nimona]]'',<ref>{{cite web|last=Amidi|first=Amid |author-link=Amid Amidi|date=July 10, 2017|title=Patrick Osborne's Feature Directorial Debut 'Nimona' Gets 2020 Release Date|url=https://www.cartoonbrew.com/feature-film/patrick-osbornes-feature-directorial-debut-nimona-gets-2020-release-date-152177.html|access-date=October 8, 2020|website=Cartoon Brew|archive-date=February 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209175523/https://www.cartoonbrew.com/feature-film/patrick-osbornes-feature-directorial-debut-nimona-gets-2020-release-date-152177.html|url-status=live}}</ref> originally scheduled to be released on January 14, 2022, was cancelled as a result of its closure. The studio's film library and intellectual properties are retained by Disney. Although Disney did not give an exact date as to when the studio would be closing down initially, former animator Rick Fournier confirmed on April 10 it was their last day of operation,<ref>{{cite tweet |title=A Blue Sky Studios' last day. The plug has been pulled, and we're all off to new adventures. Best wishes to my Blue Sky family. #blueskystudios |user=Project813 |author=Rich Fournier |number=1380947154152357895 |date=April 10, 2021 }}</ref> three days after founder Chris Wedge released a farewell letter on social media.<ref>{{cite tweet |title=A letter from Blue Sky Founder, Chris Wedge. With the news of Blue Sky's closing, we send 34-years worth of gratitude and appreciation to our friends and fans throughout the world. 💙 |user=blueskystudios |author=Blue Sky Studios |author-link=Blue Sky Studios |number=1379822457729785863 |date=April 7, 2021}}</ref> ''[[Nimona (film)|Nimona]]'' would be picked up by [[Annapurna Pictures]] in early 2022 for release on [[Netflix]] in 2023.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lang |first1=Jamie |title='Nimona' Lands at Netflix, Annapurna Producing, DNEG Animating |url=https://www.cartoonbrew.com/feature-film/nimona-netflix-annapurna-dneg-blue-sky-214964.html |website=Cartoon Brew |access-date=April 11, 2022 |date=April 11, 2022}}</ref>

[[File:20th Century Studios (2021).svg|thumb|A horizontal version of 20th Century Studios' current print logo, used for branding films (mainly [[Hulu]]/[[Star (Disney+)|Star]] originals produced by them). The first film to use this was ''[[Vacation Friends]]''.]]
On November 22, 2021, [[Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution]] and [[WarnerMedia]] reached an agreement to allow select 20th Century Studios films be shared between [[Disney+]], [[Hulu]], and [[Max (streaming service)|HBO Max]] through late 2022. The new agreement negotiated by Gerard Devan and John Gelke is an amendment to the original agreement between 20th Century Fox and HBO that Disney inherited after its acquisition of Fox in 2019, and as such, is not expected to be renewed. Following the end of the 20th Century-HBO deal, Disney plans to retain the 20th Century films on their own streaming platforms going forward after 2022.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Spangler |first1=Todd |title=Disney, WarnerMedia Carve Up Fox Film Slate Streaming Rights Through End of 2022 (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2021/digital/news/disney-warnermedia-fox-movies-streaming-2022-1235117329/ |work=Variety |date=November 22, 2021}}</ref> The first film to this new strategy was ''[[Ron's Gone Wrong]]''. Also in 2021, Disney had launched a video game based-studio 20th Century Games. Similar to its predecessors—[[FoxNext]], [[Fox Interactive]] and 20th Century Fox Games—it acts as a distributor and has partnered with other triple-A game studios. Its first title was ''[[Aliens: Fireteam Elite]]''.<ref name="20thcenturygames">{{cite web | url=https://www.hyperhype.es/disney-crea-20th-century-games-y-nadie-esta-hablando-de-ello/ | title=DISNEY CREA 20TH CENTURY GAMES PERO NADIE HABLA DE ELLO - Hyperhype | date=July 18, 2022 }}</ref>

On February 8, 2022, Steven Spielberg's 2021 film version of ''[[West Side Story (2021 film)|West Side Story]]'', among its seven Academy Award nominations, earned 20th Century Studios its first Best Picture nomination post-rebranding.<ref>{{cite web |first=Tyler |last=Coates |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/power-of-the-dog-oscar-nominations-2022-1235088568/ |title=The Power of the Dog Leads Oscar Nominations 2022 |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=September 3, 2019 |access-date=February 9, 2022}}</ref>

In March 2023, it was announced that [[Marvel Comics]] would be launching a 20th Century Studios imprint, which will release comics based on 20th Century franchises. The first comic under the label would be a ''[[Planet of the Apes]]'' comic.<ref name="auto">{{cite news |last1=Couch |first1=Aaron |title=Marvel Launches 20th Century Studios Imprint with 'Planet of the Apes' Comic (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/marvel-launches-20th-century-studios-planet-of-the-apes-1235339668/ |access-date=4 March 2023 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=March 3, 2023}}</ref>

On February 26, 2024, [[Walt Disney Pictures]] president [[Sean Bailey]] was announced to be stepping down, with Searchlight Pictures president David Greenbaum assuming his position. Greenbaum will lead Walt Disney Pictures and co-lead 20th Century with Steve Asbell as president.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=D'Alessandro |first1=Anthony |last2=Fleming Jr. |first2=Mike |date=February 26, 2024 |title=Disney Shakeup: Sean Bailey Exits As President Of Walt Disney Motion Picture Studios, Searchlight's David Greenbaum Takes Over & Also Will Run 20th |url=https://deadline.com/2024/02/disney-sean-bailey-exits-david-greenbaum-searchlight-1235838865/ |access-date=February 29, 2024 |work=Deadline}}</ref>

In April 2025, Disney announced that it would not renew its lease with Fox Corporation and that it would vacate the Fox Studio Lot in Century City at the end of 2025. As a result, 20th Century will relocate to the [[Walt Disney Studios (Burbank)|Walt Disney Studios]] in Burbank.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cho |first=Winston |date=April 2, 2025 |title=Disney to Leave Fox Studio Lot, Relocate Teams to Burbank |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/disney-fox-studio-lot-relocate-burbank-1236179527/ |access-date=April 4, 2025 |work=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Vincent |first1=Roger |last2=James |first2=Meg |date=April 1, 2025 |title=Disney plans to vacate storied Fox lot in Century City by year's end |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2025-04-01/disney-plans-to-vacate-storied-fox-lot-in-century-city-by-years-end |access-date=April 4, 2025 |work=Los Angeles Times}}</ref>