There are still a lot of questions surrounding the unprecedented acquisition of 20th Century Fox by Disney. When the proposition was first made public, it sounded as if the Mouse House planned to strip the storied studio for parts, leaving 20th Century Fox nothing more than a memory. Well, that doesn’t seem to be the case after all.
Chairman and CEO of Disney Bob Iger made the company’s intentions clear Thursday during an annual shareholder meeting in St. Louis, Missouri (per The Wrap). Iger said that the Mouse House will indeed keep the brand intact and continue releasing 20th Century Fox films. The same will apply for 20th Century’s independent film and television branches. Iger clarified:
“We will continue to make movies under the Fox brand and Fox Searchlight brand. And FX, which isn’t Fox, but sounds like it will keep its name.”
Essentially, 20th Century Fox will become another sub-run studio under the Mickey Mouse umbrella, similar to LucasFilm, Pixar and Marvel Studios. This will allow the company to produce R-rated content akin to Deadpool and Logan without damaging Disney’s PG, family-friendly identity.
This is certainly good news for independent film as Fox Searchlight is a major awards staple every year and perhaps the biggest name when it comes to giving smaller filmmakers a platform in the industry.
What is also interesting is that during the meeting, Bob Iger let it be known that the deal does not include the acquisition of Fox’s physical studio lot. However, it seems the two entities have come to a lease agreement which will allow Disney to use Fox sound stages for the foreseeable future.
Perhaps the most exciting aspect of this news is that committed moviegoers can rest easy knowing that the truly iconic bumper that kicks off all of 20th Century Fox’s films isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
What do you make of this news? Are you glad to hear that 20th Century Fox is not going anywhere? Sound off in the comments below and let me know your thoughts!
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