20th Century Animation
An animation-film division and label of 20th Century Studios, producing and distributing animated features through Disney’s filmed-entertainment organization.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
20th Century Animation is the animation-film division and label of 20th Century Studios, a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios and ultimately The Walt Disney Company. The unit was formed in February 1994 as Fox Family Films, during 20th Century Fox’s attempt to build a substantial family-film and feature-animation business. It was later renamed 20th Century Fox Animation and became associated with Fox Animation Studios in Phoenix, Arizona, and Blue Sky Studios, initially a visual-effects company that developed into Fox’s principal internal feature-animation studio. The division’s operating model has differed from that of Disney’s two dedicated animation studios, Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Animation Studios. Rather than maintaining one consistently recognizable in-house production pipeline, 20th Century Animation has functioned as a development, production, co-production, and distribution label. Some films were animated by affiliated studios, particularly Fox Animation Studios and Blue Sky Studios, while others were made by external partners and released or co-produced under the 20th Century banner. This model allowed the group to work across computer animation, traditionally animated projects, stop-motion, mixed media, adult animation, adaptations, sequels, and franchise films. The first feature associated with the original Fox family-film unit was Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie in 1995, while Anastasia, released in 1997, was the first major animated feature produced through the new animation operation. Fox Animation Studios was founded by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman under an agreement with Fox and produced Anastasia and Titan A.E. before closing in 2000. Blue Sky Studios then became the central internal animation unit. Its first feature, Ice Age, opened in 2002 and became a major commercial and franchise success, establishing characters and a series that remained among the most valuable properties associated with Fox’s animation business. Other notable projects connected with the brand include Rio and Rio 2, Horton Hears a Who!, Robots, The Simpsons Movie, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Book of Life, The Peanuts Movie, Spies in Disguise, Ron’s Gone Wrong, the animated Diary of a Wimpy Kid films, and The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild. The label has also participated in films made by outside companies, including The Book of Life and Ron’s Gone Wrong. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures handles theatrical distribution and marketing for the studio’s releases, while some later projects have been developed primarily for Disney+ or Hulu. Disney’s acquisition of most of 21st Century Fox’s entertainment assets in 2019 brought the Fox film businesses into Walt Disney Studios. The Fox animation operation was incorporated under the 20th Century Animation name in January 2020 after Disney removed the Fox name from the principal film-studio brands. Blue Sky Studios, the division’s main internal animation unit, was closed in April 2021. Since then, 20th Century Animation has continued as a label and production division using internal development and outside animation partners. The studio announced a return to theatrical animation with Ice Age: Boiling Point, while also expanding into adult animated features with Predator: Killer of Killers. Its activities now span theatrical films, streaming originals, franchise continuations, and animated adaptations of established 20th Century properties.
History
Before establishing a dedicated animation division, 20th Century Fox primarily distributed animated films made by independent producers and occasionally released animated projects produced or licensed from outside companies. In 1993, Fox also reached a first-look arrangement with Nickelodeon for family films, although the arrangement did not produce a substantial film slate before changes in Nickelodeon’s corporate ownership. Fox created Fox Family Films in February 1994 as one of the company’s film divisions. The unit initially covered family-oriented live-action and animated projects. Executive Chris Meledandri joined the division in 1994, and Fox announced an agreement with Don Bluth and Gary Goldman to establish a large animation studio in Phoenix, Arizona. The resulting Fox Animation Studios produced feature projects including Anastasia and Titan A.E. The division’s live-action family output included Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie, Dunston Checks In, and Home Alone 3, but its strategic direction increasingly shifted toward animation. Following the success of Anastasia, the division was renamed 20th Century Fox Animation in 1998. Fox also became involved with Blue Sky Studios. The studio had initially specialized in visual effects and character animation, but Fox’s interest in developing an internal feature-animation capability led to preparations for Blue Sky to produce animated films. Fox Animation Studios suffered major workforce reductions in early 2000 and closed in June of that year. Blue Sky then became the central internal production unit for Fox’s animation business. Blue Sky’s first feature was Ice Age, released in 2002. Despite reservations within Fox during production, the film performed strongly and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature. It launched a successful franchise and established Blue Sky as a prominent feature-animation studio. Blue Sky subsequently produced or animated films including Robots, Ice Age sequels, Horton Hears a Who!, Rio, Rio 2, Epic, The Peanuts Movie, Ferdinand, and Spies in Disguise. At the same time, 20th Century Fox Animation worked with external producers and animation companies on projects such as Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Book of Life, The Simpsons Movie, and later Ron’s Gone Wrong. In 2017, Fox Animation arranged a multi-year production and distribution agreement with Locksmith Animation. The arrangement was intended to broaden Fox’s animation output, but the deal moved to Warner Bros. after Disney’s acquisition of Fox, apart from Ron’s Gone Wrong. In 2019, Disney completed its acquisition of most of 21st Century Fox’s entertainment assets. The animation operation was integrated into Walt Disney Studios, with leadership retained during the transition. In January 2020, the division adopted the 20th Century Animation name to distinguish it from Fox Corporation. Disney announced the closure of Blue Sky Studios in February 2021, citing the economic circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and the strategic effects of Disney’s existing animation portfolio. Blue Sky closed on April 10, 2021. The 20th Century Animation label nevertheless remained active, increasingly relying on external animation partners and streaming-oriented projects. Animated versions of Diary of a Wimpy Kid and The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild were released through Disney platforms, while later projects continued to draw on 20th Century franchises. The studio announced a renewed theatrical focus in 2024 with Ice Age: Boiling Point. In 2025, it also entered adult animated feature filmmaking with Predator: Killer of Killers, distributed through Hulu. The same period brought a physical relocation: Disney planned to vacate the Fox Studio Lot in Century City at the end of 2025 after declining to renew its lease, moving 20th Century Animation to the Walt Disney Studios campus in Burbank. The label therefore continues as a flexible Disney-owned animation division rather than as a standalone studio with a single permanent production facility.
- 2025
Predator: Killer of Killers is announced
[1]The studio announces an adult animated Predator feature for Hulu.
- 2024
The studio announces Ice Age: Boiling Point
[1]20th Century Animation announces a theatrical Ice Age continuation scheduled for 2027.
- 2021
Blue Sky Studios closes
[1]Disney closes Blue Sky Studios, ending the label’s principal internal animation facility while retaining 20th Century Animation as a division and brand.
- 2020
20th Century Animation is incorporated
[1]The former Fox animation operation adopts its current name after Disney removes the Fox name from the acquired film brands.
- 2019
The animation operation enters the Disney organization
[2]Disney completes the acquisition of most 21st Century Fox entertainment assets, including the Fox film and animation businesses.
- 2017
Locksmith Animation agreement is announced
[1]Fox announces a multi-year production and distribution arrangement with Locksmith Animation.
- 2002
Ice Age launches Blue Sky’s feature-film era
[1]Blue Sky’s first feature, Ice Age, becomes a commercial and critical success and starts a major franchise.
- 2000
Fox Animation Studios closes
[1]Fox’s Phoenix-based animation studio closes after major staff reductions, shifting the company’s internal feature-animation emphasis to Blue Sky Studios.
- 1998
The division is renamed 20th Century Fox Animation
[1]After Anastasia, Fox refocuses the unit on animated feature films and adopts the 20th Century Fox Animation name.
- 1997
Anastasia is released
[1]Anastasia becomes the first major animated feature from Fox’s newly established animation operation.
Products and positioning
A globally oriented commercial animation label that combines 20th Century Studios’ film franchises, Disney distribution, affiliated production resources, and partnerships with external animation studios.
Animated feature film · 1997
Anastasia
A traditionally animated musical adventure inspired by the historical legend surrounding Grand Duchess Anastasia. Released in 1997, it was the first major animated feature from Fox’s dedicated animation operation and helped establish the commercial rationale for the division.
Animated film franchise · 2002
Ice Age franchise
A computer-animated comedy franchise centered on prehistoric mammals navigating migration, family, friendship, and survival. The first film, released in 2002, was Blue Sky Studios’ feature debut and became the most durable commercial franchise associated with Fox’s animation business.
Animated film franchise · 2011
Rio franchise
A colorful adventure series set largely in Brazil and built around Blu, a domesticated blue macaw, and Jewel, a wild macaw. The films combine ecological themes, music, comedy, and international settings and were produced by Blue Sky for Fox.
Animated feature film · 2008
Horton Hears a Who!
A computer-animated adaptation of Dr. Seuss’s book about Horton, an elephant who discovers a miniature civilization and defends its existence. The 2008 film expanded Fox’s portfolio of literary and family-oriented animation.
Animated feature film · 2007
The Simpsons Movie
A theatrical extension of the long-running animated television series The Simpsons. Animation was produced through external facilities, illustrating 20th Century Animation’s role as a production and distribution label rather than solely as an in-house animation studio.
Stop-motion animated feature · 2009
Fantastic Mr. Fox
A stop-motion adaptation of Roald Dahl’s children’s novel, directed by Wes Anderson. The film broadened the division’s profile beyond computer animation and was recognized for its distinctive visual design, writing, and performance.
Computer-animated feature film · 2014
The Book of Life
A visually distinctive animated fantasy inspired by Mexican cultural traditions and the Día de los Muertos period. Developed by Reel FX and later co-produced with 20th Century Fox, it demonstrates the label’s use of external production partnerships.
Computer-animated feature film · 2015
The Peanuts Movie
A theatrical adaptation of Charles M. Schulz’s Peanuts characters, including Charlie Brown and Snoopy. The film translated the comic strip’s familiar personalities and visual language into a contemporary computer-animated feature.
Computer-animated feature film · 2019
Spies in Disguise
A science-fiction spy comedy in which an agent is transformed into a pigeon and must work with a young inventor. Released in 2019, it was one of Blue Sky’s final theatrical features.
Computer-animated feature film · 2021
Ron's Gone Wrong
A science-fiction family comedy about a socially isolated boy and a malfunctioning connected robot. Produced by Locksmith Animation and distributed under the 20th Century banner, it was the first and only completed film associated with the Fox–Locksmith arrangement.
Streaming animated film series · 2021
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
A series of animated adaptations of Jeff Kinney’s middle-grade novels, developed for Disney’s streaming service after Disney’s acquisition of Fox. The projects extended 20th Century’s family properties into direct-to-streaming animation.
Adult animated feature film · 2025
Predator: Killer of Killers
An animated entry in the Predator science-fiction action franchise and the studio’s first adult animated feature not based on an animated television sitcom. It was announced for release through Hulu in 2025.
Animated feature film
Ice Age: Boiling Point
A planned theatrical continuation of the Ice Age franchise, announced as part of 20th Century Animation’s return to theatrical feature releases after the closure of Blue Sky Studios.
Brand decisions
2024
Return to theatrical animation with Ice Age: Boiling PointProduct launchBackground
After Blue Sky’s closure and a period emphasizing streaming releases, Disney and 20th Century Animation announced a new theatrical Ice Age feature.
Action taken
The studio announced Ice Age: Boiling Point for a February 2027 theatrical release.
Aftermath
The announcement signaled a renewed theatrical role for the label while continuing its established franchise strategy.
2021
Close Blue Sky StudiosStrategyBackground
Disney reviewed its animation portfolio after acquiring Fox while facing the business effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Action taken
Disney announced and completed the closure of Blue Sky Studios in April 2021.
Aftermath
20th Century Animation remained active but relied more heavily on outside animation partners and streaming projects.
2019
Integrate the Fox animation business into Walt Disney StudiosM&ABackground
Disney’s acquisition of most 21st Century Fox entertainment assets brought Fox Animation and Blue Sky into Disney’s filmed-entertainment organization.
Action taken
Disney retained the animation leadership during the integration and organized the operation alongside its other studio units.
Aftermath
The Fox name was removed from the animation brand, Blue Sky was later closed, and 20th Century Animation continued as a flexible label within Disney.
2017
Enter a production and distribution agreement with Locksmith AnimationOtherBackground
Fox sought to expand its animation pipeline and compensate for the loss of DreamWorks Animation distribution following DreamWorks’ acquisition by NBCUniversal.
Action taken
Fox agreed to distribute Locksmith Animation films and tasked Fox Animation with overseeing the relationship.
Aftermath
The arrangement moved to Warner Bros. after Disney acquired Fox, with Ron’s Gone Wrong remaining the only completed film from the agreement.
2000
Close Fox Animation Studios and emphasize Blue SkyStrategyBackground
Fox Animation Studios experienced major staff reductions amid pressure on the visual-effects and animation businesses.
Action taken
The Phoenix studio was closed, and Fox directed its feature-animation ambitions toward Blue Sky Studios and the company’s Los Angeles-based development operations.
Aftermath
Blue Sky’s Ice Age became a major success and the studio served as Fox’s primary internal feature-animation producer for the following two decades.
1998
Refocus on animated featuresStrategyBackground
Following the release and reception of Anastasia, Fox reassessed the family-film unit’s direction.
Action taken
The division was renamed 20th Century Fox Animation and shifted its emphasis toward animated feature films, including computer animation, stop-motion, and mixed-media projects.
Aftermath
The change established the organizational identity that preceded the later 20th Century Animation label.
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