Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, often called simply 20th Century Fox, is a motion picture studio and distributor located in southern California. The studio was involved in the development of the original Star Wars trilogy and distributed the prequel trilogy. Located in the Century City area of Los Angeles, just west of Beverly Hills, the studio is currently a subsidiary of 21st Century Fox, a spin-out (and de facto successor) of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation.
20th Century Fox was actually not George Lucas's first choice for a distibutor of the film, having been preceded at least by Universal Studios, who turned his offer down. Lucas convinced Fox, or more specifically Alan Ladd, Jr., to finance Star Wars, due primarily to Ralph McQuarrie's artwork. In 1977, the company's risky investment paid off when Star Wars became an enormous hit. Fox's stock skyrocketed, and despite the sale of Star Wars merchandising and sequel rights to Lucas, the company still made strong profits.
Current ownership rights
Even after the release of Fox's final Star Wars film, Fox continues to earn profits from the franchise due to DVD sales and distribution revenue.
Despite the Walt Disney Company's 2012 purchase of Lucasfilm Ltd. and the release rights to all future Star Wars films, Fox was to retain original distribution rights to Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, which they co-produced and co-financed, in perpetuity in all media worldwide. Fox was also to retain theatrical, nontheatrical, and home video rights worldwide for the franchise's five subsequent films, which Lucasfilm produced and financed independently, through May 2020, at which time ownership was to transfer to Disney. This complex relationship between Fox and Disney, particularly in regards to Fox's perpetual rights to Episode IV, was to create an obstacle for any future boxed set comprising all nine films.[1] On December 14, 2017, the Walt Disney Company announced that it is acquiring most of Fox's parent company, 21st Century Fox, including the film studio and all distribution rights to A New Hope.[2]
Bibliography
- The Secrets of Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire
- Empire Building: The Remarkable Real Life Story of Star Wars
Notes and references
- ↑ Tangled Rights Could Tie Up Ultimate 'Star Wars' Box Set (Analysis) on The Hollywood Reporter (October 30, 2012) (backup link not verified!)
- ↑ The Walt Disney Company To Acquire Twenty-First Century Fox, Inc., After Spinoff Of Certain Businesses, For $52.4 Billion In Stock on The Walt Disney Company (December 14, 2017) (backup link not verified!)