20th Century Studios

20th Century Studios, Inc.

File:20th Century Studios logo.svg Logo used since January 2020
Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Film production and distribution
Predecessor	Fox Film Corporation, Twentieth Century Pictures
Founded	May 31, 1935 (1935-05-31) (merger)
Headquarters	Century City, Los Angeles , United States
Area served	Worldwide
Products	Motion pictures
Owner	The Walt Disney Company
Parent	Walt Disney Studios

20th Century Studios, Inc., previously known as 20th Century Fox, is a U.S.-based film production and distribution entity owned by the Walt Disney Studios, which operates under the Disney Entertainment segment of the Walt Disney Company. Its main offices are situated at the Fox Studio Lot in Century City, Los Angeles, leased from Fox Corporation. The global distribution and marketing of its films are managed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

The company originated in 1935 as Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation following the merger of Fox Film Corporation and Twentieth Century Pictures. It was recognized as one of Hollywood's original "Big Five" studios during cinema's Golden Age. After Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation acquired it in 1985, the studio was renamed Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. When News Corp divided in 2013, the studio became part of 21st Century Fox. In March 2019, Disney purchased the majority of 21st Century Fox’s assets, including 20th Century Fox. To differentiate itself from Fox Corporation, the studio adopted the name 20th Century Studios in January 2020, a title now used for copyright purposes on all productions, including those from Searchlight Pictures. It functions alongside Walt Disney Pictures, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, and Searchlight Pictures within Disney’s live-action film division. Its animation branch is known as 20th Century Animation.

Prominent franchises fueling its business expansion include Star Wars (the first six installments), X-Men, Ice Age, Avatar, and Planet of the Apes. The studio's vast catalog contains iconic films such as The Sound of Music and Titanic, both recipients of Academy Awards and among the top-grossing movies worldwide upon release.

From inception to 1956

Joseph Schenck and Darryl F. Zanuck, founders of Twentieth Century Pictures, departed from United Artists due to disagreements over stock and negotiated a merger with the financially struggling Fox Film under President Sidney Kent. The merger was facilitated by Spyros Skouras, then overseeing Fox West Coast Theaters, who later became president of the combined company. Since founder William Fox lost control in 1930, Fox Film had encountered significant challenges.

The consolidation of Fox Film Corporation and Twentieth Century Pictures took place in 1935, creating Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation, which began operations on May 31, 1935. Kent stayed on alongside Schenck and Zanuck, who took over from Winfield Sheehan as head of production.

The newly formed company established a training program aimed at nurturing fresh talent, signing emerging actors such as Lynn Bari, Patricia Farr, and Anne Nagel to initial six-month contracts with options extending up to seven years.

For many years, 20th Century Fox claimed 1915 as its founding year for anniversary purposes but now officially recognizes the 1935 merger date. The studio continued using the 20th Century Pictures searchlight logo with its updated corporate name.

Following the merger, Zanuck secured contracts with leading performers including Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell, Carmen Miranda, Don Ameche, Henry Fonda, and Gene Tierney. The roster also featured stars like Alice Faye and child star Shirley Temple.

During World War II, increased moviegoer attendance enabled 20th Century-Fox to surpass competitors such as RKO and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, becoming the third highest-grossing studio. Zanuck served in the U.S. Signal Corps producing military training films while his partner William Goetz oversaw studio management.

In 1942, Spyros Skouras replaced Kent as president. Under Zanuck’s production leadership, the studio built a reputation for daring adult-themed films like Wilson (1944) and Gentleman's Agreement (1947). It also specialized in adapting popular novels into films such as Leave Her to Heaven (1945), which was its highest-grossing picture of that decade. Furthermore, 20th Century-Fox produced celebrated Broadway musical adaptations including State Fair.

After World War II attendance waned, prompting a court-ordered divestiture of Fox theaters in 1953 that resulted in their spin-off as Fox National Theaters. With audience numbers halved since 1946, the company heavily invested in new cinematic technologies. President Spyros Skouras acquired rights to Henri Chrétien's French anamorphic system and introduced CinemaScope with The Robe in 1953.

Zanuck declared that all forthcoming productions would utilize CinemaScope. To encourage theaters to convert—costing approximately $25,000 per screen—20th Century-Fox subsidized installation expenses and licensed CinemaScope technology to rival studios including Warner Bros., MGM, Universal-International, Columbia, UA, Allied Artists, and Disney. In 1956, it founded Regal Pictures (later Associated Producers Incorporated) to produce B movies under the RegalScope brand. Notable musicals such as Carousel and The King and I were filmed using CinemaScope.

Although CinemaScope temporarily increased box office revenue, attendance declined once again by 1956. That year marked Zanuck’s resignation from his production role as he moved to Paris to pursue independent film producing opportunities.

Production and Financial Challenges

After the passing of producer Buddy Adler, President Spyros Skouras appointed several executives, yet none managed to emulate the achievements of Zanuck. By the early 1960s, 20th Century-Fox was confronting substantial difficulties. The production of Cleopatra commenced in 1959, and following the casting of Elizabeth Taylor as the lead, expenses soared to approximately $40 million. Concurrently, a hurried remake of My Favorite Wife (1940), renamed Something's Got to Give and starring Marilyn Monroe, experienced delays and budget overruns that further strained the studio’s finances.

To generate capital, Fox sold its back lot in 1961. Monroe’s persistent health problems and production delays resulted in her dismissal and subsequent death, although she was briefly rehired under a two-picture contract. Despite efforts to dismiss Taylor during the extended filming of Cleopatra, setbacks continued. To reduce expenditures, Fox released many contract players, including Jayne Mansfield.

Skouras expedited Zanuck’s war epic The Longest Day (1962) to secure quick returns, a move that displeased Zanuck, who was the studio’s largest shareholder. Following Monroe’s death and the halt of Something's Got to Give, the project was reimagined as Move Over, Darling featuring Doris Day and James Garner, which achieved commercial success. Meanwhile, The Longest Day, produced under Zanuck’s direction, was meticulously completed and well received by audiences.

At a pivotal board meeting, Zanuck replaced Skouras as chairman and installed his son Richard Zanuck as president. Under this new leadership, Cleopatra was finished, operations were scaled back, costs were cut by discontinuing the long-standing Movietone News, and low-budget productions were developed that helped restore Fox’s standing in the market. The studio’s financial health improved markedly with the release of the blockbuster The Sound of Music (1965), which garnered five Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director.

Throughout the 1960s, Fox also found success with science fiction films such as Fantastic Voyage (1966) and Planet of the Apes (1968). Zanuck remained chairman until 1971 but presided over several box-office failures that led to losses between 1969 and 1971. Following his departure and the appointment of Dennis Stanfill as chairman, new management under president Gordon T. Stulberg and production chief Alan Ladd, Jr. revitalized Fox by appealing to contemporary viewers.

Stanfill diversified Fox’s holdings by acquiring assets including resorts, bottling companies, and Australian cinemas to lessen dependence on film industry fluctuations. In 1973, Fox collaborated with Warner Bros. to co-produce The Towering Inferno (1974), establishing a pioneering joint-venture studio arrangement that proved highly lucrative both domestically and internationally.

Fox reached unprecedented heights by backing Star Wars (1977), which significantly increased revenues from $195 million in 1976 to $301 million in 1977 while quadrupling stock prices. This success represented a major turning point in the company’s financial trajectory and market influence.

Marvin Davis and Rupert Murdoch

In 1981, a group of investors including Marc Rich and Marvin Davis purchased 20th Century-Fox for $720 million. Among the company's holdings were Pebble Beach Golf Links, the Aspen Skiing Company, and a property in Century City where Davis developed Fox Plaza.

Fox introduced its inaugural video game division, Fox Video Games, in 1982. This unit focused on producing console and computer cartridges under the "Games of the Century" label; however, it succumbed to the industry-wide downturn during the 1983 video game crash.

By 1984, after legal issues affected Rich, Davis bought out Rich’s 50% share for approximately $116 million. In March 1985, Davis sold this stake to Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation for $250 million. Subsequently, Murdoch acquired Davis's remaining shares for $325 million, thereby gaining full control. From 1985 onward, the company was rebranded as 20th Century Fox.

To facilitate Federal Communications Commission approval for acquiring Metromedia’s TV stations, Murdoch obtained U.S. citizenship in 1985. The Fox Broadcasting Company launched in 1986 and grew profitably over the next twenty years. During the 1990s, 20th Century Fox secured film rights to major superhero franchises such as X-Men (1993) and Fantastic Four (1998), producing successful trilogies helmed by directors like Bryan Singer and Brett Ratner.

In 1994, Fox diversified its operations by establishing four distinct divisions: Fox Searchlight Pictures, specializing in indie and specialty films under Thomas Rothman; Fox Family Films, focused on family-friendly content led by John Matoian; Fox Animation Studios, created with a $100 million budget to compete with Disney Animation and managed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman; and Fox 2000 Pictures, which targeted mid-budget films aimed at niche markets with Laura Ziskin as president.

August 1997 saw Fox’s VIFX acquire a controlling interest in Blue Sky Studios, forming Blue Sky/VIFX. Blue Sky contributed animation work to various prominent films before VIFX was sold to Rhythm and Hues Studios in 1999. By 2000, financial strains prompted Fox to contemplate divesting Blue Sky.

Following the success of Anastasia (1997), Fox Family Films transitioned to Fox Animation Studios in 1998, dedicating itself solely to animation production. Nevertheless, financial difficulties at this Phoenix-based studio led to workforce reductions and its eventual closure in June 2000 after the commercial failure of Titan A.E. Several planned projects like Barlowe's Inferno and The Little Beauty King were subsequently canceled.

Chris Wedge, Lori Forte, and executive Chris Meledandri pitched the concept for Ice Age to Fox. Despite initial doubts and staff cuts during development, the film premiered in March 2002 to critical acclaim and box-office success, earning an Academy Award nomination. This achievement positioned Blue Sky Studios as a significant entity in animated filmmaking.

Between 2000 and 2010, 20th Century Fox acted as the international distributor for MGM/UA releases while maintaining its role as a key distributor for independent cinema.

In 2006, after Bryan Singer departed from directing X-Men: The Last Stand to helm Warner Bros.' Superman Returns, Fox ended its production agreement with his Bad Hat Harry Productions but later renewed collaboration on prequel projects beginning in 2011.

That same year, Fox introduced Fox Atomic under Peter Rice and COO John Hegeman as a division targeting youth-oriented productions within Fox Filmed Entertainment. Following moderate performance and leadership shifts—including Debbie Liebling’s appointment as president—the division was closed in April 2009, with ongoing projects absorbed into other parts of Fox.

In 2008, Fox expanded its presence in Asia through Fox STAR Studios, a joint venture aimed at Bollywood and broader Asian markets. Additionally, that year marked the launch of Fox International Productions, which operated until its closure in 2017.

After resigning from News Corporation’s presidency in 2009, Peter Chernin founded Chernin Entertainment. The company entered into a five-year first-look agreement with 20th Century Fox for film and television development, enhancing Fox’s content pipeline through strategic collaborations.

21st Century Fox period

On June 28, 2012, Rupert Murdoch revealed plans to divide News Corporation into two separate companies: a newly formed News Corporation dedicated to publishing, and 21st Century Fox, which took charge of Fox Entertainment Group and 20th Century Fox. The latter retained the 20th Century Fox name, preserving its historic brand identity.

In June 2013, Fox Stage Productions was launched to broaden the company's reach into live theater. By August of the same year, 20th Century Fox entered a theatrical collaboration with producers Kevin McCollum, John Davis, and Tom McGrath to enhance its presence in stage productions.

On September 20, 2017, Locksmith Animation entered into a multi-year production agreement with 20th Century Fox Animation to release films every 12 to 18 months. This partnership aimed to bolster Blue Sky Studios' output following DreamWorks Animation's distribution shift to Universal Pictures. The initial film released through this collaboration was Ron's Gone Wrong on October 22, 2021.

In April 2017, 20th Century Fox acquired Technoprops, a visual effects company noted for contributions to Avatar and The Jungle Book. The company was rebranded as Fox VFX Lab, with founder Glenn Derry continuing as vice president of visual effects under the supervision of Gerard Bevan and John Kilkenny.

Vanessa Morrison was named president of the newly created Fox Family division at 20th Century Fox on October 30, 2017. This division concentrated on family-oriented films and managed animated TV specials and adaptations. Following her appointment, Andrea Miloro and Robert Baird took over as co-presidents of 20th Century Fox Animation.

Toward the end of 2018, 20th Century Fox issued a default notice concerning its licensing agreement for the under-construction 20th Century Fox World theme park in Malaysia by Genting Malaysia Bhd. Genting responded by filing a lawsuit that also involved The Walt Disney Company, which was poised to become its parent company.

Disney period

On December 14, 2017, Disney announced its intention to purchase most assets of 21st Century Fox, including 20th Century Fox, for $52.4 billion. After Comcast made a competing offer of $65 billion, Disney raised its bid to $71.3 billion. Comcast withdrew in July 2018, and shareholders soon approved the merger. The transaction finalized on March 20, 2019. Despite maintaining its headquarters at the Fox Studio Lot in Century City, numerous divisions underwent restructuring or layoffs following the acquisition. By January 2020, the Fox Research Library had been integrated into Walt Disney Archives. The last movie released under the "20th Century Fox" label was Underwater in January 2020.

Following disappointing box office performances from films like Dark Phoenix and Stuber, Disney paused development on several projects but continued work on others such as Free Guy and the sequels to Avatar. The studio trimmed its yearly film output to approximately ten titles, with about half designated for Hulu and Disney+ streaming services. Franchises including Star Wars, Home Alone, and Ice Age were expanded into content for Disney+, with announcements made during Disney's Investor Day in December 2020. The first release under this initiative was Home Sweet Home Alone in November 2021.

Disney rebranded the studio as "20th Century Studios" on January 17, 2020, to eliminate confusion with Fox Corporation. Distribution in North America shifted to Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures and internationally through Buena Vista International; Searchlight Pictures maintained independent distribution and marketing operations. Home media releases are managed by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment under the 20th Century Home Entertainment label. The inaugural film released under this new branding was The Call of the Wild in February 2020. That same year, Ford v Ferrari earned the studio its first Best Picture nomination since being acquired.

In early 2020, Emma Watts departed as production president; Steve Asbell was appointed president of production at 20th Century Studios while Vanessa Morrison assumed responsibility as president of streaming production overseeing live-action projects for Walt Disney Pictures and 20th Century Studios on Disney+. Philip Steuer and Randi Hiller were named heads of physical/post-production and casting respectively.

In September 2020, operations of 20th Century Fox Japan were merged into Disney Japan, ending its co-distribution arrangement with Toei Company on titles such as Dragon Ball, which subsequently moved to Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Releasing.

On February 9, 2021, Disney announced it would shut down Blue Sky Studios due to financial challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic; its projects and intellectual properties were absorbed by Disney. Production on the canceled adaptation of Nimona was later resumed by Annapurna Pictures for a Netflix release scheduled for 2023.

In November 2021, an agreement between Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution and WarnerMedia enabled select films from 20th Century Studios to be shared across streaming platforms including Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max through late 2022; following that period, Disney intends to hold exclusive streaming rights. That same year marked the debut of video game publisher 20th Century Games, continuing legacy gaming franchises with titles like Aliens: Fireteam Elite.

Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story (2021) garnered seven Academy Award nominations including Best Picture—the studio’s first since adopting its new name.

In March 2023, Marvel Comics introduced a dedicated imprint for 20th Century Studios properties to publish comics based on its franchises; the initial release is a Planet of the Apes series.

On February 26, 2024, Sean Bailey stepped down as president of Walt Disney Pictures; David Greenbaum, president of Searchlight Pictures, took over leadership at Walt Disney Pictures while jointly managing 20th Century Studios alongside Steve Asbell.

In April 2025, Disney announced plans to vacate the Fox Studio Lot in Century City by year-end and relocate all operations of 20th Century Studios to Walt Disney Studios in Burbank.

Television division

20th Television serves as the television production branch of 20th Century Studios, having been renamed from 20th Century Fox Television in 2020. The original entity known as 20th Television, which functioned as the studio's television syndication unit, was integrated into Disney-ABC Domestic Television during the same year.

During the mid-1950s, 20th Century Fox ventured into television by distributing feature films to national sponsors through a network of 128 stations, collaborating with National Telefilm Associates. Fox secured a 50% ownership in the NTA Film Network, facilitating syndicated content under the banner "Premiere Performance," which aired on 110 stations each week.

Acquisition of Four Star

In 1996, Fox completed the purchase of the remaining holdings of Four Star Television from Ronald Perelman's Compact Video, thereby consolidating Four Star's programming library within 20th Television. This move enhanced Fox's content assets amid Rupert Murdoch's aggressive acquisition strategy during the leveraged buyout period of the 1980s. Despite amassing substantial assets, News Corporation carried $7 billion in debt—primarily due to investments in UK Sky TV—leading to the sale of American magazine properties acquired in earlier years.

Music

Between 1933 and 1937, Fox Movietone issued a specialized record label featuring tracks from 20th Century Fox films. These records were initially distributed on Victor’s Bluebird label and later through ARC’s dime store labels, with sales confined exclusively to Fox Theaters.

Established in 1958, 20th Century Fox Records operated until 1981. The music division was reactivated as Fox Records in 1992 and rebranded as Fox Music in 2000. It oversaw music publishing and licensing for soundtracks associated with Fox Entertainment Group’s television and film projects, collaborating with major record companies such as Universal Music Group, EMI, PolyGram, BMG, Sony Music, and Warner Music Group. On January 17, 2020, Fox Music was dissolved and its operations merged into Hollywood Records.

Newman Scoring Stage

The Newman Scoring Stage, named in honor of composer Alfred Newman, is a leading scoring facility situated on the Fox Studio Lot. Spanning nearly 700 square meters, it ranks among the largest music recording venues worldwide and is equipped with a 96-channel AMS Neve 88RS-SP mixing console.

Radio

The radio program Twentieth Century Fox Presents aired from 1936 through 1942, functioning as promotional previews for upcoming films by featuring medleys of songs and scores. These broadcasts frequently included appearances by original stars and narration aimed at encouraging audiences to visit theaters.

Motion picture film processing

From its inception, Fox Film Corporation maintained its own film processing laboratories. Initially located in Fort Lee, New Jersey alongside its studios, the lab relocated to Los Angeles in 1916 before moving again to Manhattan in 1919 under Alan E. Freedman’s management. In 1932, Freedman acquired the labs from Fox for $2 million amid financial difficulties and renamed them "DeLuxe Laboratories," which later became Deluxe Entertainment Services Group. Freedman eventually resold the labs back to 20th Century Fox but stayed on as president through the 1960s. Under his leadership, DeLuxe expanded by opening additional facilities in Chicago and Toronto and provided services to other studios including United Artists and Universal Pictures.

Current

• 20th Century Family serves as the family-oriented production branch of 20th Century Studios, responsible for theatrical releases, mixed media projects, holiday specials, and film adaptations of television series. In 2017, Vanessa Morrison was named president of the newly established Fox Family division, tasked with objectives similar to those of Fox Family Films. Her oversight included projects such as the Bob's Burgers movie and animation collaborations with producers like Tonko House. After Disney completed its acquisition of 21st Century Fox in 2019, the rights to The Dam Keeper reverted to Tonko House. A 2019 slate revision assigned several franchise spin-offs—including Star Wars, Home Alone, Night at the Museum, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and Ice Age—to be released on Disney+ under the 20th Century Family banner. In March 2020, Morrison advanced to president of Streaming at Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production, overseeing live-action content development for both Disney+ and 20th Century Studios.
• 20th Century Animation is the animation division within 20th Century Studios dedicated to producing feature-length animated films. Founded in 1994, it previously encompassed Fox Animation Studios until 2000 and Blue Sky Studios until its closure in 2021. Key franchises under this division include Don Bluth’s Anastasia, The Simpsons Movie, along with Blue Sky’s Ice Age and Rio series.
• 20th Century Games operates as a video game licensing entity launched in 2021. Prior to this, game licenses were issued under the 20th Century Fox/Studios branding by both Fox and subsequently Disney. Fox Interactive, established in 1994 and recognized for titles such as Croc, No One Lives Forever, and games based on The Simpsons, was sold to Vivendi Universal Games in 2003 and ceased operations by 2006.
• 20th Century Comics debuted in March 2023 as a comic book publishing venture formed through collaboration with Marvel Comics. This initiative follows the earlier Fox Atomic Comics division, which partnered with HarperCollins before its discontinuation.

Former

• Fox 2000 Pictures functioned as a sister company to 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight Pictures, focusing on mid-budget independent films aimed at specialized audiences. The studio was shuttered in May 2021 after releasing The Woman in the Window on Netflix, subsequent to Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox in 2019. Its notable productions include Marley & Me, Life of Pi, The Fault in Our Stars, Love, Simon, Fight Club, as well as the Alvin and the Chipmunks and Diary of a Wimpy Kid franchises.
• 20th Digital Studio, a digital media arm of 20th Century Studios responsible for producing web-based series and films since 2008, was dissolved in April 2023 amidst corporate restructuring efforts.
• Fox Studios encompassed three principal studio locations under the now-defunct Fox Entertainment Group: Fox Studios Australia located in Sydney; Fox Studios Baja situated in Lower California; and Fox Studios Century City, which housed 20th Century Fox operations. While Disney continues to own Fox Studios Australia (now known as Disney Studios Australia), Baja Studios was sold off in 2007, and the Century City facilities remain under Fox Corporation, with Disney as a primary tenant.
• Fox VFX Lab, originally acquired as Technoprops in 2017 and led by president John Kilkenny, was the visual effects department for 20th Century Fox. It contributed to major productions such as Avatar, Rogue One, and Doctor Strange, along with video game projects like Call of Duty and Assassin's Creed Syndicate. In 2020, Disney integrated this unit into Lucasfilm’s Industrial Light & Magic, retaining the Technoprops name for technological purposes but laying off most personnel.
• Fox Atomic, a youth-targeted film division operating under Fox Filmed Entertainment from 2006 until its closure in April 2009, was initially managed by executives Peter Rice and John Hegeman. Due to poor commercial performance, it was dissolved with remaining projects absorbed by both 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight.
• Fox Faith specialized in producing evangelical Christian-themed movies from 2006 through 2010, aligning with Fox’s family-oriented content approach. It collaborated with theater chains for limited theatrical runs before ceasing operations; its final film release was delayed until after shutdown.
• 20th Century Fox Consumer Products handled licensing for merchandise related to the studio’s film and television properties from its establishment in 1995 until it was merged into Disney Consumer Products in 2019. This division managed global licensing agreements tied to brands such as 20th Century Fox, FX Networks, and third-party properties to support brand extension initiatives.
• Fox Stage Productions launched as a Broadway-style theatrical division by 21st Century Fox in June 2013 but was closed following Disney’s acquisition in July 2019 to make room for Buena Vista Theatrical.
• Fox International Productions, active from 2008 to 2017 under president Sanford Panitch, oversaw local productions across regions including China, Europe, India, and Latin America. Achieving approximately $900 million at the box office during its tenure, it was eventually disbanded in favor of regional offices managing projects directly.
• 20th Century Fox International was responsible for distributing films globally outside the United States market, including overseeing home video distribution.
• Fox-Paramount Home Entertainment operated as a Nordic joint venture between 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Entertainment, managing Blu-ray and DVD distribution since its inception in 2013. This partnership ended following Disney’s restructuring of home entertainment divisions; currently, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment handles releases for 20th Century Studios within Nordic territories while SF Studios manages Paramount titles from mid-2021 onward.

Logo and Fanfare

The iconic 20th Century Fox production logo and its accompanying fanfare trace their origins back to Twentieth Century Pictures and were retained following the 1935 merger. The emblem showcases a three-dimensional, tiered monolithic logotype—often referred to as "the Monument"—set amid Art Deco-style structures and highlighted by sweeping searchlights. These animated beams accompany a distinctive fanfare composed in 1933 by Alfred Newman. The initial design of the logo was crafted by special effects artist Emil Kosa Jr..

In 1953, artist Rocky Longo modified the logo for the broader CinemaScope aspect ratio, adjusting the "0" in "20th" to a tilted position to preserve visual balance. Newman also created an extended version of the fanfare specifically for CinemaScope films. This arrangement was later requested by director George Lucas for the 1977 release of Star Wars, whose main theme by John Williams is harmonized with this fanfare. The "0" was realigned upright once again in 1981.

By 1994, producer Kevin Burns introduced a computer-generated imagery (CGI) enhanced logo with a 21-second rendition of the fanfare arranged by Bruce Broughton, which was subsequently re-recorded by David Newman. Blue Sky Studios updated the logo in 2009 with Avatar, and the News Corporation credit was removed in 2013.

On September 16, 2014, Fox presented all iterations of its logo to promote the Fox Movies website.

After Disney's acquisition, the "Fox" branding began to be phased out starting January 2020; both 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight Pictures were renamed as 20th Century Studios and Searchlight Pictures respectively. Despite these changes, signature elements like the searchlights, monumental logotype, and fanfare were preserved. The first film released under this new branding was The Call of the Wild, which connects back to Twentieth Century Pictures' final release before the merger.

The print version of the 20th Century Studios logo first appeared on the poster for The New Mutants and made its on-screen debut in a television commercial prior to its full unveiling with The Call of the Wild. The animation for this logo was created by Picturemill, while MOCEAN produced the animation for Searchlight Pictures’ logo, drawing inspiration from Blue Sky Studios’ design, featuring a more intricate Los Angeles skyline and enhanced lighting effects.

Film Series

Title	Release Date	Notes
Charlie Chan	1929–1942
State Fair	1933–1962
Terry-Toons	1935–1973	A collaboration with Terrytoons producing theatrical cartoon shorts.
My Friend Flicka	1943–2012	Joint production with Fox 2000 Pictures and Dune Entertainment.
Anna and the King of Siam	1946–1999	Co-produced alongside Fox 2000 Pictures and Lawrence Bender Productions.
Cheaper by the Dozen	1950–2022	Produced in partnership with Dune Entertainment, Robert Simonds, 21 Laps Entertainment, Khalabo Ink Society, and Walt Disney Pictures (2022).
The Fly	1958–1989	Collaboration involving Associated Producers Inc., Lippert Films, and Brooksfilm.
Derek Flint	1966–1976
Dr. Dolittle	1967–2009	Jointly produced with APJAC Productions, Davis Entertainment, Eddie Murphy Productions, and Friendly Films.
Planet of the Apes	1968–present	Partnerships include APJAC Productions, The Zanuck Company, Tim Burton Productions, Chernin Entertainment, 6th & Idaho, Dune Entertainment, and TSG Entertainment.
The Omen	1976–present	Produced in association with Dune Entertainment, Mace Neufeld Productions, and Harvey Bernhard Productions.
Star Wars	1977–2005	Collaboration with Lucasfilm.
Candy Candy	1977–1992	International distribution; co-produced with Toei Animation and Toei Company.
Alien	1979–present	Co-production involving Brandywine Productions, Scott Free Productions, Dune Entertainment, and TSG Entertainment.
Porky's	1981–2009	Co-produced with Astral Films.
Romancing the Stone	1984–1985	Joint production with The Stone Group.
Revenge of the Nerds	1984–1994	Produced alongside Interscope Communications.
Cocoon	1985–1988	Partnership productions including Imagine Entertainment and The Zanuck Company.
Mannequin	1987–1991	Co-production with Gladden Entertainment.
Predator	1987–present	Collaborations include Silver Pictures, Gordon Company, Davis Entertainment, Dune Entertainment, Troublemaker Studios, and TSG Entertainment.
Wall Street	1987–2010	Jointly produced with Dune Entertainment and Edward Pressman Productions.
Die Hard	1988–2013	Partnerships include The Mark Gordon Company, Silver Pictures, Cinergi Pictures, Dune Entertainment, Cheyenne Enterprises, TSG Entertainment, Giant Pictures, and Temple Hill Entertainment.
Young Guns	1988–1990	Co-produced with Morgan Creek Productions.
Alien Nation	1988–1997	Partnership production with American Entertainment Partners.
Alien vs. Predator	2004–2007	Collaborations include Davis Entertainment, Gordon Company, Brandywine Productions, Dark Horse Entertainment, Impact Pictures, Stillking Films, and Dune Entertainment.
Home Alone	1990–present	Co-production alongside Hughes Entertainment.

Top-grossing Movies

Template:† Denotes films currently screening in cinemas during the week starting .

Leading box office earners in North America

Position	Film Title	Release Year	Gross Revenue
1	Avatar Template:Double dagger	2009	$785,221,649
2	Avatar: The Way of Water	2022	$684,075,767
3	Titanic Template:Double dagger	1997	$674,292,608
4	Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace Template:Double dagger	1999	$487,576,624
5	Star Wars Template:Double dagger	1977	$460,998,007
6	Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith Template:Double dagger	2005	$414,378,291
7	Deadpool	2016	$363,070,709
8	Deadpool 2	2018	$324,535,803
9	Return of the Jedi Template:Double dagger	1983	$315,476,701
10	Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones	2002	$310,676,740

Worldwide highest box office performers

Position	Film Title	Release Year	Global Gross Income
1	Avatar Template:Double dagger	2009	$2,922,917,914
2	Avatar: The Way of Water	2022	$2,320,250,281
3	Titanic Template:Double dagger	1997	$2,256,003,352
4	Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace Template:Double dagger	1999	$1,046,515,409
5	Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith Template:Double dagger	2005	$905,204,578
6	Bohemian Rhapsody	2018	$903,655,259
7	Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs	2009	$886,686,817
8	Ice Age: Continental Drift	2012	$877,244,782
9	Independence Day	1996	$817,400,891

— Figures include theatrical re-releases

See also

• 20th Century Animation
• 20th Century Family
• Searchlight Pictures
• Star Studios
• 20th Television
• 20th Television Animation

Sources

• (Reprint edition)
• (Kindle edition)
• (First edition)
• (Kindle edition)

Further reading

• Barkan, Elliot. Making it in America: a Sourcebook on Eminent Ethnic Americans. ABC-CLIO, 2001. ISBN 978-1-57607-098-7.
• Custen, George F. Twentieth Century's Fox: Darryl F. Zanuck and the Culture of Hollywood. Basic Books, 1997. ISBN 978-0-465-07619-2.
• Chrissochoidis, Ilias. Spyros P. Skouras, Memoirs (1893–1953). Brave World, 2013. ISBN 978-0-615-76949-3.
• Chrissochoidis, Ilias. CinemaScope: Selected Documents from the Spyros P. Skouras Archive. Brave World, 2013. ISBN 978-0-615-89880-3.
• Chrissochoidis, Ilias. The Cleopatra Files: Selected Documents from the Spyros P. Skouras Archive. Brave World, 2013. ISBN 978-0-615-82919-7.

External links

• 20th Century Studios profile on Box Office Mojo
• Twentieth Century Studios press materials – L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Provo, Utah

Archival collections

• Earl I. Sponable archival papers, 1928–1968, Columbia University Rare Book & Manuscript Library