20th Century Studios

20th Century Studios
20th Century Studios · Public domain · source
Name	20th Century Studios
Founded	31 May 1935
Founder	Darryl F. Zanuck, Joseph M. Schenck
Headquarters	Fox Studio Lot, Century City, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Key people	Steve Asbell (president)
Parent	The Walt Disney Studios (The Walt Disney Company)
Predecessor	Fox Film, Twentieth Century Pictures

20th Century Studios is a major American film studio and a key label of The Walt Disney Studios, a division of The Walt Disney Company. Founded in 1935 from the merger of Fox Film and Twentieth Century Pictures, it became one of Hollywood's dominant "Major Studios" for decades, renowned for its prestigious productions and iconic CinemaScope epics. The studio was acquired by Disney in 2019, which subsequently rebranded the famed 20th Century Fox name to its current form while continuing its film production legacy.

History

The studio was formed on May 31, 1935, through the merger of the struggling Fox Film, founded by William Fox, and the independent production company Twentieth Century Pictures, led by Darryl F. Zanuck and Joseph M. Schenck. Under Zanuck's leadership as production chief, it quickly ascended, producing major hits like the Best Picture winner How Green Was My Valley. The post-war era saw the studio pioneer CinemaScope with biblical epics like The Robe and produce enduring classics such as The Sound of Music. Following the retirement of Zanuck and his son Richard D. Zanuck, the studio was acquired by oil magnate Marvin Davis in 1981 and later by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation in 1985, becoming a cornerstone of the new Fox Entertainment Group. In a landmark deal, The Walt Disney Company acquired the studio's entertainment assets in 2019, integrating it into its studio division and rebranding it in 2020.

Filmography

The studio's vast library encompasses thousands of titles, defining multiple genres and eras of cinema. Its early prestige was cemented by John Ford's The Grapes of Wrath and later musicals like The King and I. It launched the Star Wars franchise with Star Wars in 1977 and produced blockbuster franchises like Alien, Predator, Die Hard, and Home Alone. The studio also delivered critical successes such as The French Connection, The Last Emperor, and modern hits like Avatar and The Shape of Water. Under Disney, it has released new installments in its legacy franchises, including The King's Man and Prey.

Operations and facilities

The studio's primary production facility is the historic Fox Studio Lot in Century City, Los Angeles, a sprawling complex featuring soundstages, backlots, and post-production facilities. For decades, its film distribution was handled globally by its in-house division, a key part of its vertical integration as a major studio. Following the Disney acquisition, physical film distribution was transitioned to Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, while its vast library is managed under the Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution banner. The studio's operations are now fully integrated within the structure of The Walt Disney Studios.

Corporate identity

For over 84 years, the studio was known as 20th Century Fox, symbolized by its majestic searchlight-illuminated logo and fanfare composed by Alfred Newman. The iconic branding became synonymous with cinematic grandeur. Following the 2019 acquisition, The Walt Disney Company announced in January 2020 that the "Fox" name would be retired to avoid confusion with the separate Fox Corporation, leading to the rebranding as 20th Century Studios. The visual identity was streamlined with a modernized logo, while the classic fanfare is still selectively used. Its former specialty film division, Fox Searchlight Pictures, was similarly renamed Searchlight Pictures.

Impact and legacy

The studio has left an indelible mark on global cinema, having released hundreds of culturally significant films that have collectively won numerous Academy Awards, including over 40 for Best Picture. It was instrumental in popularizing the CinemaScope widescreen format, revolutionizing film presentation in the 1950s. Its production and distribution of Star Wars and Avatar fundamentally altered the modern blockbuster landscape. The studio's vast film library, encompassing classics from Miracle on 34th Street to Planet of the Apes, remains a cornerstone of film history and a valuable asset within the Disney portfolio, continuing to influence new generations of filmmakers and audiences worldwide.

Category:Film studios in the United States Category:Companies based in Los Angeles Category:The Walt Disney Company subsidiaries