In 2019, The Walt Disney Company made a mega-deal with Rupert Murdoch to purchase the entertainment assets of 21st Century Fox. What the deal did not include was the news assets that Murdoch owned. The deal also did not include the Fox Studio Lot in Century City, California. Instead, the agreement allowed for Disney to be on the lot as a tenant for at least seven years.
The lease that Disney has at the Fox Studio Lot is up in March of 2026. Disney insiders shared with the Los Angeles Times that it does not intend to renew the lease. According to regulatory filings, Fox receives $50 million a year for leasing out this space. They will now need to find new tenants for the soundstages and offices on the lot. This lot has made classic films like Miracle on 34th Street and The Sound of Music. It is also the home of Fox Sports, the Fox broadcast network, and the writers’ room for The Simpsons.
Since purchasing 21st Century Fox, Disney has moved away from the Fox brand with its acquired assets. This has led to the dropping of Fox from the various properties it now owns. It has also been working to consolidate and create a more cohesive creative environment for its different segments. This will include bringing the teams from the Fox Studio Lot over to Walt Disney Studios Lot and the surrounding properties, most of which are part of its television operations.
While Disney is departing the Fox Studio Lot, there will be plenty of activity for the legacy lot that was purchased by William Fox over 100 years ago. Soundstages and production facilities are still in high demand and will continue to be a part of Fox Corp.
What do you think of Disney and the former 21st Century Fox teams leaving the Fox Studio Lot? Will it matter? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
