Report: Disney dropping the ‘Fox’ from movie studio names

In this April 3, 2019, file photo, Alan Horn, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios, speaks underneath poster images for 20th Century Fox films during the Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures presentation at CinemaCon 2019  in Las Vegas. (Invision/AP)

NEW YORK — Disney is dropping the word “Fox” from the movie studios it acquired as part of last year’s $71 billion purchase of Fox’s entertainment business, according to published reports.

Disney will still run them as separate studios within the company. But trade publication Variety reported that 20th Century Fox will become 20th Century Studios, while Fox Searchlight Pictures will be Searchlight Pictures. Variety said the studios’ logos are largely unchanged except for the removal of the Fox name.

Variety said the Fox name created brand confusion with Disney because Fox News and the Fox broadcast network are owned by Rupert Murdoch’s Fox Corp., while the movie studios now belong to Disney.

The news outlet said a decision has yet to be made on Disney’s Fox television production businesses, 20th Century Fox Television and Fox 21 Television Studio.

Disney representatives did not return messages requesting comment.