20th Century Animation#Fox Family Films
{{Short description|Animation division of 20th Century Studios}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{About|the feature animation production arm of 20th Century Studios|the television animation division of 20th Century Studios|20th Television Animation}}
{{pp|vandalism|small=yes}}
{{Infobox company
| name = 20th Century Animation, Inc.
| logo = 20th Century Animation logo.svg
| logo_caption = Logo used as of January 16, 2020
| former_names = {{ubl|Fox Family Films (1994–1998)|Fox Animation Studios (1998)|20th Century Fox Animation (1998–2020)}}
| type = Division
| industry = {{Plainlist|
}}
| predecessors = {{Plainlist|
}}
| founded = {{Start date and age|1994|02}}
| hq_location_city = Century City, Los Angeles, California
| hq_location_country = U.S.
| key_people = {{ubl|Vanessa Morrison (president)}}
| products = Animated films
| parent = 20th Century Studios
| footnotes = {{Cite web |last=Burton |first=Michelle |date=June 12, 2011 |title=Long Beach Animation Careers – A Profile of the Art Scene, Top Employers, & Animation Schools/Programs |url=http://www.animationcareerreview.com/articles/long-beach-animation-careers-profile-art-scene-top-employers-animation-schoolsprograms |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170907170344/http://www.animationcareerreview.com/articles/long-beach-animation-careers-profile-art-scene-top-employers-animation-schoolsprograms |archive-date=September 7, 2017 |access-date=April 9, 2015 |publisher=Animation Career Review}}
}}
20th Century Animation, Inc.{{Cite web |date=January 28, 2020 |title=C4551182 – 20th Century Animation, Inc. |url=https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=04551182-27616006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200603190034/https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=04551182-27616006 |archive-date=June 3, 2020 |access-date=April 4, 2020 |website=California Business Search}} (previously known as Fox Family Films, Fox Animation Studios, and 20th Century Fox Animation and sometimes referred to as Fox Animation) is an American animation studio located in Century City, Los Angeles. Formed in 1994, it is organized as a division and label of 20th Century Studios (formerly 20th Century Fox), a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios, and is tasked with producing animated feature-length films. At one point, 20th Century Animation had two subsidiaries: Fox Animation Studios, which was shut down on June 26, 2000, and Blue Sky Studios (the latter became the primary unit of 20th Century Animation), which was closed on April 10, 2021. Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment distributes the films produced by 20th Century Animation in home media under the 20th Century Home Entertainment banner.
The studio has produced a total of 31 feature films (six films as Fox Family Films, three films from Fox Animation Studios, thirteen feature films from Blue Sky Studios, and nine original films), most of them being distributed by 20th Century Studios. Their first film was Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie and their first animated film was Anastasia, with the most recent release being Predator: Killer of Killers; its next film will be Ice Age 6, slated for theatrical release on December 18, 2026.
Anastasia (1997–1999), Ice Age (2002–present) and Rio (2011–present) are the studio's most commercially successful franchises, while Robots (2005), The Simpsons Movie (2007), Horton Hears a Who! (2008), The Book of Life (2014), The Peanuts Movie (2015), Spies in Disguise (2019), Ron's Gone Wrong (2021), and Predator: Killer of Killers (2025) are among its most critically praised films.
Background
Before 20th Century Fox started its animation division, Fox released its first seven animated films, such as Hugo the Hippo (1975), Wizards, Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure (1977), Fire and Ice (1983), FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992) Once Upon a Forest (1993) and The Pagemaster (1994).
In May 1993, Fox agreed to a two-year first-look deal with Nickelodeon for family films.{{Cite news |last=O'Steen |first=Kathleen |date=March 1, 1994 |title=Matoian firmed at Fox family unit |language=en |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/1994/film/news/matoian-firmed-at-fox-family-unit-118760/ |url-status=live |access-date=March 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129083706/https://variety.com/1994/film/news/matoian-firmed-at-fox-family-unit-118760/ |archive-date=January 29, 2021}} The deal would mostly include original material, though a Nickelodeon executive did not rule out the possibility of making films based on The Ren & Stimpy Show, Rugrats and Doug.{{Cite web |title=Toledo Blade – Google News Archive Search |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1350&dat=19930607&id=gldPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VAMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2074,1837600&hl=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312111933/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1350&dat=19930607&id=gldPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VAMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2074,1837600&hl=en |archive-date=March 12, 2016 |access-date=August 13, 2016 |website=news.google.com}} However, no films came out of the deal due to the 1994 acquisition of Paramount Pictures by Nickelodeon's parent company, Viacom, and they would distribute the film projects instead.{{Cite web |date=February 16, 1994 |title=Viacom captures Paramount |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1994/02/16/viacom-captures-paramount/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181211015006/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1994-02-16/business/1994047156_1_viacom-qvc-redstone |archive-date=December 11, 2018 |access-date=August 3, 2019 |website=The Baltimore Sun}}
History
=1994–1998: Formation and early years=
The division initially started in February 1994 as Fox Family Films, as one of four film divisions of 20th Century Fox under executive John Matoian. The division was planned to produce six feature films a year as part of a plan to produce more films per year overall. Fox senior vice president of production Chris Meledandri was transferred into the unit as executive vice president in March 1994 after having been hired the previous year.{{Cite news |last=O'Steen |first=Kathleen |date=March 28, 1994 |title=Meledandri joins Fox family film wing |language=en |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/1994/film/news/meledandri-joins-fox-family-film-wing-119572/ |url-status=live |access-date=March 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200913113342/https://variety.com/1994/film/news/meledandri-joins-fox-family-film-wing-119572/ |archive-date=September 13, 2020}} The week of May 6, 1994, Fox Family announced the hiring of Don Bluth and Gary Goldman for a new $100 million animation studio{{Cite news |last=Kaye |first=Jeff |date=May 6, 1994 |title=Company Town : Fox Heats Up the Animation Wars : Movies: Heavyweight Don Bluth discusses the deal that will bring him and Gary Goldman home from Ireland. |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-05-06-fi-54640-story.html |url-status=live |access-date=March 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170503025132/http://articles.latimes.com/1994-05-06/business/fi-54640_1_don-bluth |archive-date=May 3, 2017}} which began construction that year in Phoenix, Arizona. In three years, the animation studio would produce and release its first film, Anastasia.{{Cite news |last=Petrikin |first=Chris |date=February 18, 1998 |title=Fox renamed that toon |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/1998/film/news/fox-renamed-that-toon-1117467902/ |url-status=live |access-date=March 31, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402204814/https://variety.com/1998/film/news/fox-renamed-that-toon-1117467902/ |archive-date=April 2, 2019}} In September 1994, Matoian was promoted by Rupert Murdoch to head up the Fox network.{{Cite news |last=Cerone |first=Daniel Howard |date=July 4, 1995 |title=A More Grown-Up Look for Fox : Television: With new entertainment president John Matoian and a powerful distribution system, the fourth network plans to expand its audience. |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-07-04-ca-20061-story.html |url-status=live |access-date=March 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171014154806/http://articles.latimes.com/1995-07-04/entertainment/ca-20061_1_fox-network |archive-date=October 14, 2017}} Meledandri was selected to head up the unit in 1994.{{Cite news |last=Lang |first=Brent |date=November 1, 2018 |title=How Chris Meledandri Became the Most Powerful Man in Animation |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2018/film/features/chris-meledandri-illumination-minions-the-grinch-1203020068/ |url-status=live |access-date=March 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181108210137/https://variety.com/2018/film/features/chris-meledandri-illumination-minions-the-grinch-1203020068/ |archive-date=November 8, 2018 |quote=While Meledandri might have been a late convert to the genre, his big break came in 1994, when he was tapped to head Fox’s family division,...}}
It produced live-action films such as Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (1995), Dunston Checks In (1996) and Home Alone 3. By August 1997, Fox Family had decreased the number of live films. R.L. Stine agreed with Fox Family Films in January 1998 for a film adaptation of the Goosebumps book franchise with Tim Burton producing.{{Cite magazine |last=Flamm |first=Matthew |date=January 9, 1998 |title=Between The Lines |url=https://ew.com/article/1998/01/09/new-simon-schuster-lands-dimaggio-bio-goosebumps-headed-big-screen/ |url-status=live |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141230014714/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,281459,00.html |archive-date=December 30, 2014 |access-date=August 17, 2013}}
=1997–2020: 20th Century Fox Animation, Fox Animation Studios and success with Blue Sky Studios=
In August 1997, Fox's Los Angeles-based visual effects company, VIFX, acquired majority interest in Blue Sky Studios to form a new visual effects and animation company, temporarily renamed "Blue Sky/VIFX".{{Cite news |date=August 27, 1997 |title=Imaginative Pix takes interest in Blue Sky |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/1997/film/news/imaginative-pix-takes-interest-in-blue-sky-1116678868/ |url-status=live |access-date=March 24, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209175443/https://variety.com/1997/film/news/imaginative-pix-takes-interest-in-blue-sky-1116678868/ |archive-date=February 9, 2021}} Blue Sky had previously did the character animation of MTV Films' first film Joe's Apartment. Following the studio's expansion, Blue Sky produced character animation for the films Alien Resurrection, A Simple Wish, Mouse Hunt, Star Trek: Insurrection and Fight Club.{{Cite book |last=Friedman |first=Jake S. |title=The Art of Blue Sky Studios |date=2014 |publisher=Insight Editions |isbn=9781608873173 |location=San Rafael, California}} VIFX was later sold to another VFX studio Rhythm and Hues Studios in March 1999.{{Cite web |last=Graser |first=Marc |date=March 3, 1999 |title=Fox to sell visual F/X division to R&H |url=https://variety.com/1999/digital/news/fox-to-sell-visual-f-x-division-to-r-h-1117491896/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170219010257/https://variety.com/1999/digital/news/fox-to-sell-visual-f-x-division-to-r-h-1117491896/ |archive-date=February 19, 2017 |access-date=March 23, 2022 |website=Variety |publisher=Variety Media}} According to Blue Sky founder Chris Wedge, Fox considered selling Blue Sky as well by 2000 due to financial difficulties in the visual effects industry in general.
In 1998, following the success of Anastasia, the division was renamed to Fox Animation Studios, refocusing on animated feature films, including stop-motion, mixed media and digital production. The division's live action films in development at the time included Marvel Comics' Silver Surfer, the disaster film spoof Disaster Area, Fantastic Voyage and Goosebumps. The 1998 film Ever After, a Cinderella adaptation, was the division's last live action film. At this time, there were several animated films on the company's development slate: Dark Town with Henry Selick, Chris Columbus and Sam Hamm, Santa Calls at Blue Sky, and Matt Groening (The Simpsons), Steve Oedekerk and Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) projects. The Phoenix studio at the time was producing Planet Ice expected in 1999 and directed by Art Vitello and Anastasia producer/directors Don Bluth and Gary Goldman's then soon to be announced project.{{Cite news |date=April 1998 |title=Business – Fox Films To Focus On Animated Fare |work=Animation World Magazine |url=https://www.awn.com/mag/issue3.1/3.1pages/3.1business.html |url-status=live |access-date=March 31, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810203444/https://www.awn.com/mag/issue3.1/3.1pages/3.1business.html |archive-date=August 10, 2019}} Chris Meledandri remained as the president of the division,{{Cite web |date=October 28, 2013 |title=Chris Meledandri To Receive PGA's 2014 Visionary Award |url=https://deadline.com/2013/10/chris-meledandri-producers-guild-2014-visionary-award-winner-621755/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170621101108/http://deadline.com/2013/10/chris-meledandri-producers-guild-2014-visionary-award-winner-621755/ |archive-date=June 21, 2017 |access-date=March 31, 2018 |publisher=Deadline |quote=While there, he became founding president of 20th Century Fox Animation,...}} which was known by 1999 as 20th Century Fox Animation.{{Cite news |last=King |first=Susan |date=November 18, 1999 |title=Sidekick Bat Spreads His Wings in 'Bartok' |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-nov-18-ca-34753-story.html |url-status=live |access-date=March 31, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181119174738/http://articles.latimes.com/1999/nov/18/entertainment/ca-34753 |archive-date=November 19, 2018 |quote=...,says Chris Meledandri, president of 20th Century Fox Animation.}} The only television series that the Phoenix studio produced was Adventures from the Book of Virtues, which was a co-production between Fox Animation Studios and PorchLight Entertainment; that series would air on PBS between 1996 and December 2000.{{Cite web |last=A. Schechter |first=Pamela |date=1996 |title=TV's Fall Animation Lineup |url=http://www.awn.com/mag/issue1.6/articles/schechter1.6.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121119045937/http://www.awn.com/mag/issue1.6/articles/schechter1.6.html |archive-date=November 19, 2012 |access-date=March 29, 2015 |publisher=Animation World Network}}{{Cite web |last=D. Johnson |first=Bruce |date=November 1, 1997 |title=PBS Special Report: Program profiles: Adventures From the Book of Virtues |url=http://kidscreen.com/1997/11/01/19937-19971101/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140420031259/http://kidscreen.com/1997/11/01/19937-19971101/ |archive-date=April 20, 2014 |access-date=April 1, 2015 |publisher=Kidscreen |quote=Production begins with Fox Animation Studios in Phoenix.}}
File:20th Century Fox Animation.svg
20th Century Fox Animation vice president of physical production Chuck Richardson was sent in early December 1999 to Fox subsidiary Blue Sky Studios as general manager and senior vice president. Richardson was sent to prepare Blue Sky for feature animation production.{{Cite news |last=Lyons |first=Charles |date=December 9, 1999 |title=Blue Sky for Richardson |language=en |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/1999/biz/news/blue-sky-for-richardson-1117758776/ |url-status=live |access-date=March 25, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810203441/https://variety.com/1999/biz/news/blue-sky-for-richardson-1117758776/ |archive-date=August 10, 2019}}
The Phoenix studio, which kept the Fox Animation Studios name, laid off 2/3 of its employee workforce in February 2000 before its closure in late June of that year, ten days after Titan A.E. was released and six months before Adventures from the Book of Virtues aired its final episode. Fox Animation looked to produce films at Blue Sky and its Los Angeles headquarters.{{Cite news |last=Eller |first=Claudia |date=June 29, 2000 |title=20th Century Fox Closes Its Phoenix Animation Studio |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-jun-29-fi-45965-story.html |url-status=live |access-date=March 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306120957/http://articles.latimes.com/2000/jun/29/business/fi-45965 |archive-date=March 6, 2016}}
Chris Wedge, film producer Lori Forte, and Meledandri presented Fox with a script for a comedy feature film titled Ice Age.{{Cite web |last=Fritz |first=Ben |date=May 2, 2008 |title=Fox animation soars under Blue Sky |url=https://variety.com/2008/film/features/fox-animation-soars-under-blue-sky-1117984996/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170628130716/https://variety.com/2008/film/features/fox-animation-soars-under-blue-sky-1117984996/ |archive-date=June 28, 2017 |access-date=March 23, 2022 |website=Variety |publisher=Variety Media}} Studio management pressured staff to sell their remaining shares and options to Fox on the promise of continued employment on feature-length films. The studio moved to White Plains NY and started production on Ice Age. As the film wrapped, Fox, having little faith in the film, feared that it might bomb at the box office, terminated half of the production staff, and tried unsuccessfully to find a buyer for the film and the studio.{{Citation needed|date=June 2018}} Instead, Ice Age, Blue Sky's first feature film, was released by Fox in conjunction with 20th Century Fox Animation on March 15, 2002, with financial success and critical acclaim, receiving a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature at the 75th Academy Awards in 2003.{{Cite web |title=The 75th Academy Awards, 2003 |url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2003 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180417092738/https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2003 |archive-date=April 17, 2018 |access-date=June 10, 2018 |website=Oscars.org |date=October 5, 2014 |publisher=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences}} Ice Age would subsequently spawn a successful franchise and launch Blue Sky into producing feature films and into becoming a household name in feature animation.
In January 2007, Meledandri left for Universal Pictures to set up Illumination there with Vanessa Morrison as his replacement while answering to newly appointed 20th Century Fox Film Group vice chairman Hutch Parker. Morrison moved from the live action division where she handled family-children fare as senior vice president of production.{{Cite news |last=LaPorte |first=Nicole |date=January 30, 2007 |title=Fox's big toon-up |language=en |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2007/film/markets-festivals/fox-s-big-toon-up-1117958286/ |url-status=live |access-date=March 25, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327090712/https://variety.com/2007/film/markets-festivals/fox-s-big-toon-up-1117958286/ |archive-date=March 27, 2019}} Morrision was making deal with outside producers like she approved a stop-motion adaptation of Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr. Fox.{{Cite news |last=Debruge |first=Peter |date=July 30, 2008 |title=Vanessa Morrison |language=en |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2008/scene/markets-festivals/vanessa-morrison-1117989797/ |url-status=live |access-date=March 26, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220216140023/https://variety.com/2008/scene/markets-festivals/vanessa-morrison-1117989797/ |archive-date=February 16, 2022}}
In September 2017, Locksmith Animation formed a multi-year production deal with 20th Century Fox, who would distribute Locksmith's films, with Locksmith aiming to release a film every 12–18 months. Fox Animation was later brought on to oversee the deal, which was to bolster Blue Sky's output and replace the loss of distributing DreamWorks Animation films, which are now owned and distributed by Universal Pictures.{{Cite web |last=Lang |first=Brent |date=September 20, 2017 |title=Fox, Locksmith Animation Ink Multi-Year Production, Development Deal |url=https://variety.com/2017/film/news/fox-locksmith-animation-ink-multi-year-production-development-deal-exclusive-1202563541/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180124113511/http://variety.com/2017/film/news/fox-locksmith-animation-ink-multi-year-production-development-deal-exclusive-1202563541/ |archive-date=January 24, 2018 |access-date=February 15, 2018 |website=Variety Magazine}}
On October 30, 2017, Morrison was named president of a newly created 20th Century Fox division, Fox Family, which has a mandate similar to Fox Animation when it was called Fox Family Films.{{Cite news |last=Lang |first=Brent |date=October 30, 2017 |title=Vanessa Morrison Named Head of Fox Family in Animation Division Overhaul |language=en |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2017/film/news/fox-vanessa-morrison-1202602371/ |url-status=live |access-date=March 26, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220120150903/https://variety.com/2017/film/news/fox-vanessa-morrison-1202602371/ |archive-date=January 20, 2022}} Andrea Miloro and Robert Baird were named co-president of Fox Animation the same day and would also have direct oversight of Blue Sky and oversee the Locksmith Animation deal and grow Fox Animation with other partnerships and producer deals.{{Cite news |last=Kilday |first=Gregg |date=October 30, 2017 |title=Fox Animation Names Andrea Miloro, Robert Baird Co-Presidents |work=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/fox-animation-names-andrea-miloro-robert-baird-presidents-1052996 |url-status=live |access-date=March 31, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209175450/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/fox-animation-names-andrea-miloro-robert-baird-presidents-1052996 |archive-date=February 9, 2021}}
=2019–present: Disney era, renaming and closure of Blue Sky Studios=
On October 18, 2018, it was announced that Fox Animation would be added alongside 20th Century Fox to Walt Disney Studios following the Acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney, with co-presidents Andrea Miloro and Robert Baird retaining leadership while reporting to Walt Disney Studios Chairman, Alan Horn and Twentieth Century Fox vice chairman Emma Watts.{{Cite news |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |date=October 18, 2018 |title=Disney Finalizes Film Studio Brass Under Alan Horn: Emma Watts Confirmed To Run Fox |work=Deadline |url=https://deadline.com/2018/10/disney-absorbs-fox-executives-emma-watts-elizabeth-gabler-fox-searchlight-1202485406/ |url-status=live |access-date=October 22, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181022193536/https://deadline.com/2018/10/disney-absorbs-fox-executives-emma-watts-elizabeth-gabler-fox-searchlight-1202485406/ |archive-date=October 22, 2018}}
On March 21, 2019, Disney announced that Fox Animation (including Blue Sky Studios) would be integrated as new units within Walt Disney Studios, with Co-presidents Andrea Miloro and Robert Baird continuing to lead the studio and reporting directly to Alan Horn.{{Cite web |last=Hipes |first=Patrick |date=March 21, 2019 |title=After Trying Day, Disney Sets Film Leadership Lineup |url=https://deadline.com/2019/03/disney-film-executives-post-merger-team-set-1202580586/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327101434/https://deadline.com/2019/03/disney-film-executives-post-merger-team-set-1202580586/ |archive-date=March 27, 2019 |access-date=March 21, 2019 |publisher=Deadline |quote=Fox Animation (including Blue Sky Studios) will continue to be led by Co-Presidents Andrea Miloro and Robert Baird.}} Miloro stepped down as co-president in late July 2019.{{Cite news |last=Lang |first=Brent |date=July 25, 2019 |title=Andrea Miloro Out as Fox Animation Co-President |language=en |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/andrea-miloro-out-as-fox-animation-co-president-1203279354/ |url-status=live |access-date=July 26, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190725173252/https://variety.com/2019/film/news/andrea-miloro-out-as-fox-animation-co-president-1203279354/ |archive-date=July 25, 2019}} In August 2019, Walt Disney Animation Studios head Andrew Millstein was named co-president of Blue Sky for day-to-day operations alongside Baird, while Pixar Animation Studios president Jim Morris would also be taking on a supervisory role over Millstein.{{Cite news |last=Lang |first=Brent |date=August 9, 2019 |title=Disney Taps Andrew Millstein, Clark Spencer for Top Animation Posts |language=en |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/disney-animation-blue-sky-leadership-1203297966/ |url-status=live |access-date=August 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190809193242/https://variety.com/2019/film/news/disney-animation-blue-sky-leadership-1203297966/ |archive-date=August 9, 2019}} With the Disney takeover, the Locksmith deal left 20th Century Fox for Warner Bros. in October 2019, except for the first and now only film under the deal, Ron's Gone Wrong.{{Cite news |last=Clarke |first=Stewart |date=October 31, 2019 |title=Warner Signs Multi-Picture Deal With Elisabeth Murdoch's Locksmith Animation |language=en |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/warner-bros-pact-elisabeth-murdoch-locksmith-animation-1203389453/ |url-status=live |access-date=November 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125061131/https://variety.com/2019/film/news/warner-bros-pact-elisabeth-murdoch-locksmith-animation-1203389453/ |archive-date=November 25, 2020}}
With the August 2019 20th Century Fox slate overhaul announcement, projects from 20th Century Fox franchises such as Night at the Museum, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and Ice Age were announced for the then-upcoming Disney+ streaming service.{{Cite news |last=Donnelly |first=Matt |date=August 13, 2019 |title=Fox Feels the Pressure From Disney As Film Flops Mount |language=en |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2019/film/features/fox-disney-earnings-dark-phoenix-stuber-racing-in-the-rain-1203300260/ |url-status=live |access-date=August 13, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190830221649/https://variety.com/2019/film/features/fox-disney-earnings-dark-phoenix-stuber-racing-in-the-rain-1203300260/ |archive-date=August 30, 2019}} These projects would later be announced during Disney's Investor Day in December 2020 as animated feature films for the aforementioned streaming service.{{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 |url-status=live |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 |archive-date=December 11, 2020 |access-date=December 11, 2020 |website=The Verge |language=en}} The first of these projects was an animated reboot of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, which was released on December 3, 2021, under Walt Disney Pictures.
On January 17, 2020, Disney dropped the "Fox" name from the two main film studio units acquired from 21st Century Fox—20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight Pictures.{{Cite news |last=Vary |first=Adam B. |date=January 17, 2020 |title=Disney Drops Fox Name, Will Rebrand as 20th Century Studios, Searchlight Pictures |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2020/film/news/disney-dropping-fox-20th-century-studios-1203470349/ |url-status=live |access-date=April 4, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210112030744/https://variety.com/2020/film/news/disney-dropping-fox-20th-century-studios-1203470349/ |archive-date=January 12, 2021}} Fox Animation took on its current name with its incorporation on January 28, 2020, to avoid confusion with Fox Corporation.
On February 9, 2021, Disney announced that it was shutting down Blue Sky Studios in April 2021, the main unit of 20th Century Animation.{{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/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209175505/https://deadline.com/2021/02/blue-sky-studios-closing-disney-ice-age-franchise-animation-1234690310/ |archive-date=February 9, 2021 |access-date=February 9, 2021 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}{{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 |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 |access-date=February 9, 2021 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en}} It closed on April 10, 2021.
In November 8, 2024, during D23 in Brazil, it was officially announced that the studio would return to produce theatrical films starting with Ice Age 6 slated for December 18, 2026.{{Cite web |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |date=2024-11-08 |title=‘Ice Age 6’ Is Happening With Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Queen Latifah & More Back; Sixthquel Getting A Theatrical Release – Update |url=https://deadline.com/2024/11/ice-age-6-1236171187/ |access-date=2024-11-08 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}
In April 2025, the studio announced Predator: Killer of Killers its first adult animated feature film slated for a June 6, 2025 release on Hulu.{{Cite web |last=Grobar |first=Matt |date=2025-04-08 |title=Animated ‘Predator’ Movie ‘Killer Of Killers’ Unveils Hulu Premiere Date, First-Look Footage |url=https://deadline.com/2025/04/predator-killer-of-killers-hulu-premiere-date-1236363203/ |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Zachary |date=2025-04-08 |title=Animated Film 'Predator: Killer of Killers' Premieres on Hulu on June 6 |url=https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/predator-killer-of-killers-trailer/ |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=The Walt Disney Company |language=en-US}}
Process
Unlike animation studios such as Pixar or Walt Disney Animation Studios, 20th Century Animation does not have an in-house animation style, but rather acts as a division and somewhat of a distribution label for animated films that are made under or acquired by 20th Century Studios. An example of this is with Fox Animation Studios and Blue Sky Studios' films; both of which were subsidiaries of the company. Another example of this is Fantastic Mr. Fox.{{Cite magazine |last=Brody |first=Richard |date=November 2, 2009 |title=Wild, Wild Wes |magazine=The New Yorker |url=http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/11/02/091102fa_fact_brody |url-status=live |access-date=March 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140307111108/http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/11/02/091102fa_fact_brody |archive-date=March 7, 2014 |quote=And doing it on the industrial scale required for a studio motion picture—this one is being produced by Twentieth Century Fox Animation—is a gigantic undertaking.}}{{Cite news |last=Kilday |first=Gregg |date=October 30, 2017 |title=Vanessa Morrison Takes on New Role as President, Fox Family |work=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/vanessa-morrison-takes-new-role-as-president-fox-family-1052919 |url-status=live |access-date=March 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328214908/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/vanessa-morrison-takes-new-role-as-president-fox-family-1052919 |archive-date=March 28, 2019 |quote=..., as well as independent projects such as Book of Life and Fantastic Mr. Fox.}} Additionally, Ron's Gone Wrong was the first and only film made under a deal between 20th Century and Locksmith Animation.
However, the animation production of 20th Century Animation's films (except for Blue Sky Studios) is outsourced to other studios. For example, The Simpsons Movie was animated at Film Roman alongside AKOM and Rough Draft Studios, while Ron's Gone Wrong was animated by DNEG. The Book of Life was developed outside of 20th Century Animation at Reel FX, with the studio co-producing the film later on.{{Cite news |last=McClintock |first=Pamela |date=December 12, 2012 |title=Fox Animation Teaming With Guillermo del Toro on 'Book of Life' (Exclusive) |work=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/guillermo-del-toro-fox-animation-401787 |url-status=live |access-date=December 13, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121215170312/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/guillermo-del-toro-fox-animation-401787 |archive-date=December 15, 2012}} Diary of a Wimpy Kid and The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild were animated by Bardel Entertainment.
Fox Animation Studios (headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona) and Blue Sky Studios (headquartered in White Plains, New York and later Greenwich, Connecticut) animated their respective films internally, however Anastasia and Titan A.E. were outsourced to multiple animation studios, including Bardel Entertainment, Reality Check Studios, and Blue Sky,{{Cite press release |title=Blue Sky Is Red Hot With Ice Age |date=April 4, 2002 |publisher=PR Newswire |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/blue-sky-is-red-hot-with-ice-age-76780287.html |access-date=March 22, 2015 |author1=SGI}}{{Cite news |last=Moltenbrey |first=Karen |date=August 2000 |title=After Earth |work=Computer Graphics World |url=http://www.cgw.com/Publications/CGW/2000/Volume-23-Issue-8-August-2000-/After-Earth.aspx |url-status=live |access-date=March 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209175444/https://www.cgw.com/Publications/CGW/2000/Volume-23-Issue-8-August-2000-/After-Earth.aspx |archive-date=February 9, 2021}} when the latter of the three was still a VFX studio.
Both Fox Animation Studios and Blue Sky had their own unique animation style, with the former having the same animation style as Don Bluth.
Filmography
=Fox Family Films=
| class="wikitable"
|+ |
| Title
!Release date !Notes |
|---|
| Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie
| June 30, 1995 |co-production with Saban Entertainment and Toei Company |
| Dunston Checks In
| January 12, 1996 | |
| Jingle All the Way
|November 22, 1996 |co-production with 1492 Pictures |
| Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie
|March 28, 1997 |co-production with Saban Entertainment and Toei Company |
| Home Alone 3
|December 12, 1997 |co-production with Hughes Entertainment |
| Ever After
|July 31, 1998 | |
=Fox Animation Studios=
{{Main|Fox Animation Studios}}
From 1994 to 2000,{{Cite news |last=Kaye |first=Jeff |date=May 6, 1994 |title=COMPANY TOWN : Fox Heats Up the Animation Wars : Movies: Heavyweight Don Bluth discusses the deal that will bring him and Gary Goldman home from Ireland. |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-05-06-fi-54640-story.html |url-status=live |access-date=December 24, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170503025132/http://articles.latimes.com/1994-05-06/business/fi-54640_1_don-bluth |archive-date=May 3, 2017}} Fox operated Fox Animation Studios, a traditional animation studio which was started to compete with Walt Disney Animation Studios, which was experiencing great success with films such as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and The Lion King. The Fox studio, however, was not as successful. Their first feature, Anastasia, made nearly $140 million at the worldwide box office on a $53 million budget in 1997,{{Cite web |title=Anastasia – Box Office Mojo |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0118617/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217155708/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0118617/ |archive-date=December 17, 2019 |access-date=January 24, 2022 |website=Box Office Mojo}} but their next feature, Titan A.E., was a large financial loss, losing $100 million for 20th Century Fox in 2000.{{Cite web |last=Palmeri |first=Christopher |date=September 19, 2013 |title=Despicable Me 2 Producer Knows How to Win the Box Office |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/bw/articles/2013-09-19/universal-s-chris-meledandri-knows-how-to-win-the-box-office |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150525154137/https://www.bloomberg.com/bw/articles/2013-09-19/universal-s-chris-meledandri-knows-how-to-win-the-box-office |archive-date=May 25, 2015 |access-date=April 11, 2015 |publisher=Bloomberg}} The lack of box office success, coupled with the rise of computer animation, led Fox to shut down the studios.{{Cite news |last=Eller |first=Claudia |date=June 29, 2000 |title=20th Century Fox Closes Its Phoenix Animation Studio |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-jun-29-fi-45965-story.html |url-status=live |access-date=December 24, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131226195638/http://articles.latimes.com/2000/jun/29/business/fi-45965 |archive-date=December 26, 2013}}
=Blue Sky Studios=
File:Blue Sky Studios 2013 logo.svg
{{Main|Blue Sky Studios|List of Blue Sky Studios productions}}
From 1997 until 2021, Fox owned Blue Sky Studios, a computer animation company known for the Ice Age franchise.{{Cite news |date=August 28, 1997 |title=Imaginative Pix takes interest in Blue Sky |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/1997/film/news/imaginative-pix-takes-interest-in-blue-sky-1116678868/ |url-status=live |access-date=December 7, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209175443/https://variety.com/1997/film/news/imaginative-pix-takes-interest-in-blue-sky-1116678868/ |archive-date=February 9, 2021}} Fox has had much more success with the studio, with the box office receipts of their films becoming competitive with the likes of Pixar and DreamWorks Animation. On March 21, 2019, Blue Sky Studios was integrated as a separate unit within Walt Disney Studios, yet they would continue to report to Fox Animation presidents Andrea Miloro and Robert Baird.{{Cite news |last=Hipes |first=Patrick |date=March 21, 2019 |title=After Trying Day, Disney Sets Film Leadership Lineup |work=Deadline Hollywood |url=https://deadline.com/2019/03/disney-film-executives-post-merger-team-set-1202580586/ |url-status=live |access-date=March 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327101434/https://deadline.com/2019/03/disney-film-executives-post-merger-team-set-1202580586/ |archive-date=March 27, 2019}}{{Cite news |last=Williams |first=Trey |date=March 21, 2019 |title=Disney Keeps Key Leaders in Place After Day of Layoffs at Fox |work=TheWrap.com |url=https://www.thewrap.com/disney-keeps-key-leaders-in-place-after-day-of-layoffs-at-fox/ |url-status=live |access-date=March 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190322012928/https://www.thewrap.com/disney-keeps-key-leaders-in-place-after-day-of-layoffs-at-fox/ |archive-date=March 22, 2019}} In February 2021, Disney had announced that Blue Sky would cease all operations and close sometime within April 2021, eventually shuttering on April 10, 2021.
=Co-productions and original films=
Starting in 2007, 20th Century Animation occasionally produces its own films without Blue Sky Studios' involvement while also co-producing films from other studios. The company is not credited on these films like how they are with Blue Sky's films and Fox Animation Studios' Anastasia and Titan A.E. As of 2024, The Simpsons Movie remains their highest-grossing original film.
All films listed are produced and or distributed by 20th Century Studios unless noted otherwise.
==Theatrical==
== Direct-to-Streaming (VOD) ==
{{note label|LiveAction|S}}Combines live-action with animation.
== In development ==
{{note label|LiveAction|S}}Combines live-action with animation.
=Television specials=
=Short films=
Unproduced films
{{Main|List of unproduced 20th Century Studios animated projects}}
Franchises
This list does not include follow-up films not produced by 20th Century Animation
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Years
! Title ! Films ! TV seasons ! Shorts ! Studio |
|---|
| 1997–1999
| 2 | 0 | 0 | Fox Animation Studios |
| 2002–present
| Ice Age | 7 | 1 | 9 | Blue Sky Studios (2002–2022) |
| 2007–present
| 1 | 36 | 5 |
| 2011–present
| Rio | 2 | 0 | 1 | Blue Sky Studios (2011–2014) |
| 2021–present
| 3 | 0 | 0 | Bardel Entertainment |
Accolades
=[[Academy Awards]]=
| class="wikitable sortable" | ||||
| Year | Film | Category | Recipient(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="2"| 1997
| rowspan="2"| Anastasia | "Journey to the Past" by Stephen Flaherty (music), Lynn Ahrens (lyrics) | rowspan="6" {{nom}} | ||||
| Best Music, Original Musical or Comedy Score
| Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, and David Newman | ||||
| 2002
| Ice Age | rowspan="2"| Best Animated Feature | ||||
| 2009 | ||||
| 2011
| Rio | "Real in Rio" by Carlinhos Brown & Sérgio Mendes (music); Siedah Garrett (lyrics) | ||||
| 2017
| Carlos Saldanha and Lori Forte |
=[[Annie Awards]]=
| class="wikitable sortable" | ||||
| Year | Film | Category | Recipient(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997
| rowspan="8"| Best Animated Feature | 20th Century Fox, Fox Animation Studios | rowspan="10" {{nom}} | ||||
| 2000
| 20th Century Fox Animation, Fox Animation Studios, David Kirschner Productions | ||||
| 2002
| Ice Age | 20th Century Fox Animation, Blue Sky Studios | ||||
| 2007
| 20th Century Fox Animation | ||||
| 2009
| 20th Century Fox | ||||
| 2011
| Rio | Blue Sky Studios | ||||
| 2014
| 20th Century Fox, Reel FX Animation Studios | ||||
| 2015
| 20th Century Fox Animation, Blue Sky Studios | ||||
| rowspan="2"|2021
| rowspan="2"|Ron's Gone Wrong | Outstanding Achievement for | Julien Bizat | ||||
| Outstanding Achievement for Production Design in an Animated Feature Production | Aurélien Predal, Till Nowak and Nathan Crowley |
=British Animation Awards=
| class="wikitable sortable" | ||||
| Year | Film | Category | Recipient(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="3"|2022
| rowspan="3"|Ron's Gone Wrong | Best Long Form | rowspan=2 | Sarah Smith, Jean-Philippe Vine and Octavio E. Rodriguez | rowspan="2"{{won}} | ||||
| Best Design | ||||
| Writers Award
| Sarah Smith and Peter Baynham | {{nominated}} |
=[[Golden Globe Awards]]=
| class="wikitable sortable" | ||||
| Year | Film | Category | Recipient(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015
| rowspan="2" | Best Animated Feature Film | rowspan="3" {{nom}} | ||||
| rowspan="2" | 2017
| rowspan="2" | Ferdinand | ||||
| Best Original Song
| "Home" Music by: Nick Jonas, Nick Monson and Justin Tranter, Lyrics by: Jonas and Tranter |
See also
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{20th Century Fox Animation}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Articles related to 20th Century Animation
| list1 =
{{20th Century Studios}}
{{Walt Disney Studios}}
{{Disney}}
{{Blue Sky Studios}}
{{Don Bluth}}
{{Fox Animation}}
{{20th Century Studios theatrical animated features}}
{{Disney theatrical animated features}}
{{Century City, Los Angeles|state=expanded}}
{{Animation industry in the United States}}
}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:1994 establishments in California
Category:American animation studios
Category:American companies established in 1994
Category:Century City, Los Angeles
Category:Companies based in Los Angeles
Category:Disney production studios
Category:Former News Corporation subsidiaries
Category:Mass media companies established in 1994