According to an article on Deadline.com, Disney is closing Blue Sky Studios, the $5.9 billion former 20th Century Fox animation division, which released 13 feature films during its run, including the Ice Age series, Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!, and Ferdinand among others.
Deadline states that Blue Sky’s library and intellectual property will remain part of Disney and that a new series based on Blue Sky’s Ice Age characters is already in the works for Disney+.
Following Disney’s acquisition of Fox, it was announced in August 2019 that Walt Disney Animation Studios President Andrew Millstein was named Co-President of Blue Sky Studios, serving alongside Co-President Rob Baird. Both Millstein and Baird are expected to exit in the wake of Blue Sky closing its doors.
Spies in Disguise was the last Blue Sky release and was distributed by Disney back in December of 2019. Disney had hoped because Will Smith and Tom Holland voiced the film, it would drive a franchise, but the pic only grossed $66M at the domestic box office and $171M worldwide.
