20th Century Studios

Overview

20th Century Studios is a Walt Disney Studios label that produces and distributes theatrical films and Hulu-exclusive originals. Formerly 20th Century Fox, the studio was absorbed into Disney's $71.3 billion acquisition of 21st Century Fox in 2019 and rebranded in 2020 (dropping "Fox" from the name for trademark reasons). The studio targets adult-skewing commercial audiences that fall outside Disney's family-friendly flagship brand.

In 2025, the studio released Predator: Badlands (November 7), which set a franchise opening weekend record with $80 million globally, and Avatar: Fire and Ash (December 19), the third installment in James Cameron's franchise, which opened to $347.1 million worldwide. The three Avatar films have collectively grossed over $5.6 billion to date. The studio's 2025 slate also included The Amateur (April), The Fantastic Four: First Steps (July, produced by Marvel Studios), Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere (October), and Ella McCay (December, from James L. Brooks).

Upcoming 2026 releases include The Devil Wears Prada 2 (May 1), Send Help (January 30), Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice (March 27, Hulu), Whalefall (October 16), and The Dog Stars (August 28, directed by Ridley Scott).

History

Founding and Golden Age (1935 to 1960s)

20th Century Fox was formed in 1935 when Joseph Schenck and Darryl F. Zanuck's Twentieth Century Pictures merged with William Fox's Fox Film Corporation. Zanuck ran production for decades, overseeing How Green Was My Valley (1941), All About Eve (1950), Gentlemen's Agreement (1947), and The Robe (1953), the first CinemaScope release.

The studio nearly went bankrupt producing Cleopatra (1963), then the most expensive film ever made. The Sound of Music (1965) saved the studio, becoming the highest-grossing film of its time. The late 1960s brought another financial crisis before a recovery driven by disaster films and action pictures.

Blockbuster Era (1970s to 2000s)

Distributing George Lucas's Star Wars (1977) transformed the studio's fortunes permanently. The film became the highest-grossing release in history at the time. Defining releases followed: Alien (1979), Die Hard (1988), Home Alone (1990), Independence Day (1996), Titanic (1997, co-produced with Paramount, $2.25 billion worldwide), X-Men (2000), Ice Age (2002), and Avatar (2009, which grossed $2.92 billion and remains the highest-grossing film of all time).

Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation acquired the studio in 1985. The studio operated under various corporate names (20th Century Fox, Fox 2000 Pictures, Fox Searchlight Pictures) until the Disney sale.

Disney Acquisition (2019 to Present)

Disney completed its $71.3 billion purchase of 21st Century Fox's entertainment assets in March 2019. The deal excluded the Fox Studio Lot real estate, which remains owned by Fox Corporation. Disney initially leased the lot under a seven-year agreement but announced in 2025 that it will vacate the premises by year's end.

Disney rebranded the studio as 20th Century Studios in January 2020. Fox Searchlight Pictures was similarly rebranded as Searchlight Pictures. Both labels operate as distinct divisions within Walt Disney Studios, with 20th Century handling broader commercial fare and Searchlight handling specialty and arthouse releases.

Post-acquisition releases include The Call of the Wild (2020), Free Guy (2021), The King's Man (2021), Avatar: The Way of Water (2022, $2.32 billion worldwide), The Boogeyman (2023), Alien: Romulus (2024, $350 million worldwide), and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024, $397 million worldwide).

Studio Operations

Production and Distribution

20th Century Studios operates as a label within Walt Disney Studios, with its own development slate and production teams. The studio produces theatrical features and Hulu-original films. Recent Hulu-exclusive releases include Prey (2022), No One Will Save You (2023), Eenie Meanie (2025), and Swiped (2025).

The studio's development pipeline runs through talent agencies and established producer relationships. Disney positions 20th Century Studios for genres and audiences that do not fit the Disney, Pixar, or Marvel brands: R-rated action, horror, science fiction, and adult dramas.

Fox Studio Lot

The Fox Studio Lot at 10201 West Pico Boulevard in Century City, Los Angeles, has been an active production facility since 1928. The lot contains 15 soundstages ranging from 14,076 to 28,274 square feet, totaling 333,917 square feet of stage space. The largest stages (5, 6, and 8) measure 210 by 133 feet with 35 to 40 foot grid heights. Stage 16 includes a 500,000-gallon water tank for aquatic production.

Backlot locations include New York Street, Avenue of the Palms, and the Movietone Way exterior. The lot also houses the historic Newman Scoring Stage for music recording and post-production sound facilities.

Fox Corporation is pursuing a $1.5 billion redevelopment plan that would add nine new soundstages and over 2 million square feet of new production and office space. Disney's departure by end of 2025 will free up the stages for rental by independent and external productions.

California Tax Incentives

Productions shooting at the Fox Studio Lot or elsewhere in California can apply for the California Film and Television Tax Credit Program. The program provides a 20% tax credit for qualified production expenditures on feature films, with an additional 5% uplift available for music scoring and visual effects work performed in-state. The program is administered by the California Film Commission through a lottery and rolling application system. Independent films with budgets under $10 million receive priority in the allocation process.

What Filmmakers Should Know

Pitching and Development

20th Century Studios does not accept unsolicited submissions. Projects enter development through literary agents, managers, and producers with existing relationships at the studio. The studio's development executives evaluate projects across action, science fiction, horror, thriller, and adult drama genres.

For filmmakers with representation, the studio acquires both completed films (typically from festival premieres) and develops projects from pitch or script stage. The studio's budget range spans from mid-budget Hulu originals ($10 to $30 million) to tentpole theatrical releases ($100 million plus).

Theatrical vs. Streaming Strategy

Under Disney, 20th Century Studios releases films through three windows:

• Theatrical releases for franchise titles and commercial blockbusters (Avatar, Predator, Alien, Planet of the Apes)
• Hulu originals for genre films and mid-budget titles (Prey, No One Will Save You, Eenie Meanie)
• Disney+ international distribution for Hulu-original titles outside the US

Theatrical releases typically follow a 45-day exclusive window before moving to Disney+ or Hulu, though franchise titles may have longer windows.

Fox Studio Lot Rental

Independent productions can rent stages and backlot space at the Fox Studio Lot through Fox Studio Lot management (separate from 20th Century Studios). Stage rental rates in Los Angeles for comparable facilities range from $3,000 to $8,000 per day depending on stage size and equipment package. The lot's 15 stages and backlot exteriors are available to any production with appropriate insurance and crew agreements.

Notable Franchises and IP

The studio's library includes some of the most commercially successful franchises in film history:

Note: The X-Men and Deadpool franchises have transitioned to Marvel Studios following the Disney acquisition. Star Wars distribution rights for the original 1977 film remain with 20th Century Studios under the original contract.

House Style & Genre Focus

20th Century Studios (formerly 20th Century Fox) is Disney's label for genre films, franchise continuations, and prestige director projects. The studio's slate includes the Avatar franchise (the highest-grossing film series in history, with Avatar: Fire and Ash pushing the franchise total to $6.7 billion globally), Predator films, Planet of the Apes, horror prequels, and reboots of classic properties. The studio works closely with James Cameron's Lightstorm Entertainment for the Avatar franchise and with Ridley Scott on multiple projects.

Recent and upcoming productions include Avatar: Fire and Ash (James Cameron, $1.5 billion gross), Predator: Badlands, The Devil Wears Prada 2, The Dog Stars (Ridley Scott post-apocalyptic thriller), Psycho Killer, and Whalefall. The studio maintains a distinct brand identity within Disney, focusing on genre and franchise content that falls outside Disney's family-friendly animation and Marvel/Star Wars brands.

20th Century Studios operates through submissions from agents and managers, with Disney's distribution infrastructure supporting releases. The studio does not accept unsolicited submissions. It also produces Hulu original films, expanding its output beyond theatrical releases. The studio's horror and sci-fi output, including The First Omen (2024) and Prey (2022), demonstrates its commitment to genre filmmaking within the Disney corporate structure.

Watch: Trailers & Behind the Scenes

See Also

For understanding how major studio acquisitions affect the independent film landscape, see Distribution Deals Explained. To model revenue projections for studio-scale theatrical releases, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator. For budgeting productions that might shoot at the Fox Studio Lot, use the Indie Film Budget Calculator.