Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox is nearly done, and the fate of its film slate should soon become clear.
Some 15 months after the deal was first apparently done, Disney is set to seal its takeover of 20th Century Fox this week. Finally, for the many Fox employees both in the UK and overseas, some clarity may be arriving as to just what their future is.
Whilst most of the movie headlines have disappointingly centred on whether X-Men characters will end up in Marvel cinematic universe productions, the early signs are there are ways forward for the terrific Fox Searchlight and Fox 2000 boutique arms to the studio’s pipeline. Personally, I’d argue that keeping those intact, and the jobs of thousands of people, are more important than Wolverine getting a potential cameo in an Avengers film, but I accept mine is not a majority position.
Still, with Disney investing heavily in its own streaming services, the Fox 2000 and Fox Searchlight pipeline may well end up ringfenced as part of the takeover.
The main Fox line of blockbusters, and the behind people then, look a lot more vulnerable (already, there’s talk that The New Mutants X-Men spin-off movie will debut on streaming). Furthermore, that Disney will be overhauling the Fox slate shortly, and finally offering some answers to Fox employees, now that it’s able to do so.
Disney has, in fairness, been a very good parent to the other major companies it’s acquired in the film world. We wait and see how all of this now pans out.
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