LOS ANGELES — Sound the trumpets: 20th Century Fox, a name and klieg-lit logo that stretches back 85 years in Hollywood, is dropping the word Fox so that consumers do not mistakenly think the movie studio has anything to do Rupert Murdoch’s polarizing Fox News media empire.
The Walt Disney Company bought most of Mr. Murdoch’s entertainment assets last year in a $71.3 billion deal. That included the 20th Century Fox studio and its art-house sibling, Fox Searchlight. On Friday, the employees at the main movie studio arrived to a new email format (@20thcenturystudios) without the Fox. A Disney spokesman confirmed that both labels would drop Fox from their logos. Disney had no further comment.
“Downhill,” which arrives in theaters on Feb. 14 will be the first movie to bear the Searchlight Pictures name. “The Call of the Wild,” set for release on Feb. 21, will carry the 20th Century logo. The trumpet fanfare, klieg lights and familiar monolith logo will remain.
It is not surprising that Disney would rename the movie operations. In October, the 20th Century Fox television studio that Disney bought as part of the deal was changed as part of an integration with Disney’s television businesses.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.