20th Century Fox, a studio that has a magnificent history of close to a century is going for a new brand image. Yes, acquired by Disney last year, it will now be known as 20th Century Studios. It has been an icon in the history of Hollywood and it will change its name in 2020.
With the $71.3 billion acquisition deal that was completed in March 2019, Disney now has the largest movie studio in the world. Before the acquisition, Twentieth Century Fox and Fox Searchlight had been a premium option for the filmmakers and this is going to change this year.
But, what has been the reason for this change of brand? Seemingly enough, Disney does not want to be associated with the Fox and the legacy of Rupert Murdoch anymore. It may also be a reason that Disney does not want the audience and the world at large not to be confused with Fox regime. It should be noted that there are entities that Disney did not acquire as part of the deal – the ones like Fox Broadcast Network and Fox News.
Disney is not changing anything else than just the name. The fanfare, logo and the title card will continue to remain the same. The 20th Century Fox will now be known as 20th Century Studios and the Fox Searchlight will be now known as Searchlight Pictures.
The change will come with the release of “Downhill,” a drama/comedy starring Will Ferrell and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Set to release on February 14, it will be the first movie to bear the new name and branding for Searchlight Pictures.
It has been assumed that Disney does not want to be associated with the highly partisan and right wing nature of the Fox establishment. Variety even cited an unnamed source from Disney claiming that Fox name is synonymous with Murdoch and it is highly toxic. In fact, the Hollywood is known for being liberal and the Fox legacy does not go well with it.
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