In 2019, when Disney acquired 20th Century Fox, fans didn’t know what to expect. The usually family-friendly image of the House of Mouse was incompatible with some of Fox’s more violent franchises, which included beloved classics like Alien and the X-Men saga. The immediate fear in the minds of millions of fans was that the franchises would be toned down for general audiences. After seeing Alien: Romulus, it’s safe to say those fears have been disproven. The merger has affected Disney in ways that no one could have predicted. Some of the most profitable franchises in cinemas today weren’t originally Disney brands – they were Fox’s. In many ways, acquiring and rebranding 20th Century Studios has been Disney’s most clever business decision in decades. Fox’s properties are saving Disney and the MCU in 2024.
Resurrecting The Fox Studio Classics
The first thing Disney did with Fox was utilize the ticket-selling powers of their established franchises. Even at times, when the COVID pandemic diminished any possible returns, Fox-Disney films shone brightly compared to their predecessors.
One notable example of that trend was 2022’s Prey, a prequel to the hyperviolent classic Predator series. Before Prey, the last film in the series was 2018’s The Predator. Lambasted by critics for its nonsensical plot and loathed by fans for its lacklustre action and characters, The Predator could have been the end of the franchise. Fortunately, Prey reignited interest in the dying series once more.
The same happened with Alien: Romulus, which is still in its successful theatrical run. The last we saw of the xenomorphs was in 2017’s Alien: Covenant, a movie that, while not as terrible as The Predator, lacked the positive reception of its predecessors.
Even franchises like Planet of the Apes have flourished after the merger. While universes like the MCU and Star Wars crumble under the weight of quantity over quality, movies like Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes prove there’s still room for sci-fi franchises that don’t involve mainstream characters. And speaking of mainstream characters…
Deadpool & Wolverine Saves The MCU
Ever since Endgame, fans have criticized the MCU for its poor planning and diminishing quality. Movies like The Marvels weren’t up to par with some of the most memorable entries in the classic MCU, and it shows – particularly in the box office numbers. That’s less than ideal for a company like Disney; they can survive a few negative reviews, but seeing red numbers on their budgets is simply unacceptable for the House of Mouse.
Thankfully, 2024 proved the creatives at Marvel understood quality should go over quantity – but I think no one could have predicted that Deadpool might have just secured the future of the entire MCU. Much like The Avengers changed the tone of the series back in 2012, Deadpool & Wolverine feels like a much-needed self-reflection by the MCU.
Fox Properties In Disney Marvel Movies
Deadpool, along with every other mutant created by Marvel, were Fox properties until 2019. Seeing them in the MCU is like a dream come true for fans, and it’s even more incredible when you notice that almost every long-awaited movie in the MCU coming to theatres features a character previously owned by Fox.
As fans set their sights on The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Avengers: Doomsday, we have Fox to thank for first bringing these legendary characters to the silver screen. The positive reception every cameo got in Deadpool & Wolverine proves that the Fox era of Marvel remains a cornerstone in the public’s perception of the publishers. Even if some of the “Disney” Marvel films lose their shine with age, the Fox franchises are there to remind us why we love these iconic characters so much.
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Tell us, do you agree? Is the 20th Century Fox acquisition currently saving Disney and the MCU?
