20th Century Animation
20th Century Animation, Inc. is the animation division of 20th Century Studios. It has gone by Fox Family Films (1994–1998) and 20th Century Fox Animation (1998–2020) before adopting its current name. The company is based in California and, after Disney bought 21st Century Fox, moved its operations to the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank.
What it does
- Produces animated feature films and sometimes releases them through Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
- Over its history, the studio has included two major subsidiaries: Fox Animation Studios and Blue Sky Studios. Blue Sky became the main unit for many years, while Fox Animation Studios operated earlier in Phoenix.
Key moments in its history
- 1994: Fox Family Films is formed to produce animated features and other family films.
- 1997: Anastasia becomes a big hit for the division.
- 2000: Fox Animation Studios in Phoenix closes after mixed results, and the company shifts more toward Blue Sky.
- 2002: Ice Age, Blue Sky’s first big hit, is released and starts a successful franchise.
- 2007: Chris Meledandri leaves to start Illumination; Vanessa Morrison takes over leadership at the division.
- 2017: A multi-year deal with Locksmith Animation is announced to boost animated output.
- 2018–2019: Disney buys 21st Century Fox; Fox Animation becomes part of Disney’s studios.
- 2020: The Fox name is dropped from the unit, which becomes 20th Century Animation.
- 2021: Blue Sky Studios closes, ending the studio’s internal feature animation work.
- 2024–2027: Ice Age: Boiling Point is announced for 2027, signaling a planned revival of the franchise; Predator: Killer of Killers is planned for Hulu in 2025.
- 2025: Disney announces it will vacate the Fox Studio Lot in Century City, and 20th Century Animation relocates to Burbank.
How it works today
- 20th Century Animation serves as a division and distribution label for animated films produced by or acquired by 20th Century Studios. Unlike Disney’s other in-house studios, its animation style is not fixed to one house style; production is often done with external studios.
- Notable films associated with its various eras include The Simpsons Movie and, in later years, projects like Ron’s Gone Wrong (produced with another studio) and other collaborations involving partner studios for animation work.
Overall, the studio has a long history of big animated projects, peak successes with franchises like Ice Age and Anastasia, and ongoing plans for new releases under Disney’s umbrella, now headquartered in Burbank.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 14:32 (CET).