__NOTOC__ This is a list of unmade and unreleased animated projects by 20th Century Studios. Some of these films and shows were, or still are, in development limbo. These also include the co-productions the studio collaborated with in the past (i.e. 20th Century Animation, Fox Animation Studios, 20th Television Animation, and Locksmith Animation), as well as sequels to their franchises and one-off films. Contents: 1990s: 1991199219931994199519981999 2000s: 2000200120032005200620082009 2010s: 20112012201320142015201620172018 See alsoReferences
1990s 1991 Series Title Description Television series The Adventures of MC Skat Kat and the Stray Mob Singer Paula Abdul was in talks for an animated series based on the animated rapper MC Skat Kat for Fox Kids along with an animated movie for Universal Pictures. Following the release of the album of the same name, but due to the poor sales and reviews of the album, the ideas never materialized.
1992 Series Title Description Alien Operation: Aliens In 1992, a planned animated series based on the 1986 film Aliens titled Operation: Aliens was being produced for Fox Kids along with an LCD game, board game, a Sega Genesis video game, and action figures as tie-ins for the proposed series, but was ultimately cancelled, with the only things that came out of this scrapped project was the action figure line.
1993 Series Title Description Ren & Stimpy Untitled Ren & Stimpy film In May 1993, Nickelodeon announced a two-year picture deal with 20th Century Fox to produce some of its films, including its IPs such as the aforementioned Ren & Stimpy. However, the idea of a "warm and fuzzy" family film adaptation of the show's "cynical and gross" style of humor was deemed unfit and would have likely ran into creative issues with creator John Kricfalusi (who would be forced out several months after the deal was announced). Fox's film deal with Nick expired when Viacom purchased the network, along with Paramount Pictures, in 1994 leaving Paramount to distribute and co-produce the network's theatrically released films. Doug Untitled Doug film Nickelodeon was also making a Doug film adaptation in 1993 when they made a deal with Fox to make films based on their properties along with films, but the plans evaporated when Viacom acquired Paramount Pictures in 1994, and the deal expired in the following year. The film would later be made under Disney as a response to the success of Disney TVA's own series that aired on ABC and released as Doug's 1st Movie.
1994 Series Title Description Television series Youngblood A half-hour Youngblood animated series was planned for the 1995–96 season on Fox Kids as part of an hour block with a proposed Cyberforce series.Thomas, Michael (July 30, 2001). "To the Extreme: A conversation with Rob Liefeld". CBR.com. The series was being developed by Roustabout Productions, a newly formed animation company. According to Nick Dubois, creative director and co-founder of Roustabout, the series would take a lighthearted approach with tongue-in-cheek humor. A clip was created but the series was never produced due to Fox Kids signing an exclusive deal with Marvel Comics. The clip aired in commercials for Youngblood action figures. Cyberforce A Cyberforce TV series was proposed aside with the Youngblood TV series, but was scrapped alongside it for the same reason.
1995 Series Title Description Feature film Betty of the Jungle In 1995, animator Bill Kopp (creator of Fox Kids' Eek! the Cat, The Terrible Thunderlizards and Mad Jack The Pirate) pitched an idea for an original adult animated film called Betty of the Jungle, in which he describes it as a sexy George of the Jungle about jungle warrior woman Betty (set to be voiced by Loni Anderson) and her gun-caring poodle (set to be voiced by Bruce Willis) who battle evil to protect their jungle village. After an animation test and conceptual artwork, Fox Animation declined to approve the project. Dracula At one time, Fox Animation had planned to produce an animated musical adaptation of Dracula.
1998 Series Title Description Feature film Santa Calls In their first partnership with Blue Sky Studios, their first feature film with them was an adaptation of the children's book Santa Calls by William Joyce. The story was to tell of Santa Claus asking three gifted children to help him defeat an army of dark elves and save Christmas. Goosebumps Back in 1998, Tim Burton was attached to produce a film adaptation of the Goosebumps children's horror books by R.L. Stine. It was going to be produced by 20th Century Fox and DreamWorks Pictures, but was later scrapped because it did not materialize since they could not find a script they liked or determine which book or monster to adapt. Years later, in 2015, Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation made a Goosebumps film directed by Rob Letterman, along with a sequel in 2018.
1999 Series Title Description Feature film Inferno: Rebellion in Hell In 1999, Fox Animation had optioned Barlowe's Inferno by Wayne Barlowe into a potential adult animated film that would follow one man's journey into Hell. Rhapsody Fox Animation had intended to produce an animated film based on the first installment of the Rhapsody trilogy by Elizabeth Haydon. The story was to tell of a human girl named Rhapsody going on an epic quest with the warrior Achmed and a Firbolg named Grunthor.
2000s 2000 Series Title Description Feature film Africa Fox Animation had been planning to produce an adult animated epic film set in Africa for which animator Will Makra posted conceptual artwork for. Unfortunately, however, the project was cancelled when the studio was shut down due to the financial failure of Titan A.E.. Over the Hedge Fox Animation originally acquired the film rights to the United Media comic strip Over the Hedge for a feature film produced by Fox Animation Studios. The idea of the film was conceived when Don Bluth and Gary Goldman showed the comic strip to its head Chris Meledandri, who was impressed by its humour and acquired rights to the strip. He asked the screenwriting duo of Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman to write the script for the film. In February 2001, due to the financial failure of Titan A.E., it was later acquired by DreamWorks Animation under Jeffrey Katzenberg when Fox placed the film in turnaround as an animated feature, which was released on May 19, 2006. Party Animals By June 2000, the Farrelly brothers (There's Something About Mary) were developing an animated adaptation of the novel Frisco Pigeon Mambo by C.D. Payne. Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy) was attached to write and direct the project in June 2003. Fathom By June 2000, Fox planned to adapt the comic book series Fathom. The Little Beauty King In 2000, Steve Oedekerk was developing The Little Beauty King, which was supposed to be a satirical animated film of the Disney Renaissance films.
2001 Series Title Description Buffyverse Buffy: The Animated Series In 2001, Joss Whedon and 20th Century Fox started the development of Buffy the Animated Series, an animated spin-off of Whedon's popular TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Whedon and Jeph Loeb were to produce the show while many actors of the original series were attached to reprise their roles. It was initially planned to be aired in Fox Kids, possibly as early in February 2002, but Fox Kids ceased to broadcast in September 2002. No network wanted to pick up the series, which resulted in the abandonment of this project.
2003 Series Title Description Feature film The Iguana Brothers In September 2003, 20th Century Fox and Blue Sky Studios planned to adapt Tony Johnson and Mark Teague's children's book The Iguana Brothers: A Tale of Two Lizards into an animated film. The Wainscott Weasel In November 2003, 20th Century Fox and Blue Sky Studios planned to adapt Tor Seidler's children's book The Wainscott Weasel into an animated film, but the project was shelved in 2006.
2005 Series Title Description Feature film Emily the Strange In 2005, it was reported that 20th Century Fox Animation would make a live action/animated hybrid film adaptation of the titular Dark Horse Comics property, with Chris Meledandri and John Cohen producing it. In 2008, Dark Horse founder, writer and publisher Mike Richardson came on board to produce the film. Meledandri would eventually take it to his own company, Illumination for Universal Pictures in 2011, with Melisa Wallack (the screenwriter for Mirror Mirror) to pen the script for the adaptation on August of that year, while Kealan O’Rourke rewrote the film's script. In December 2016, both Meledandri and Universal abandoned the project, and Dark Horse entered negotiations with Amazon Studios to make an animated film. However, in October 2024, Warner Bros. Pictures Animation and Bad Robot announced their collaboration on a full-length animated feature based on Emily the Strange. The film’s screenplay is being developed by Pamela Ribon, as Bad Robot will produce the film, with Reger serving as executive producer alongside Trevor Duke-Moretz.
2006 Series Title Description Feature film Sheepish In October 2006, Fox, Starz Animation, and Odyssey Entertainment announced Sheepish, with Odyssey obtaining the international rights, an CG animated family comedy about the brazen leader of a pack of macho wolves who undergoes karmic retribution when he is transformed into a sheep, to be directed by Daniel St. Pierre and Kevin Johnson, and written by Bart Coughlin. Kristen Bell was also meant to voice a character.
2008 Series Title Description Feature film Anubis In April 2008, Fox and Blue Sky acquired the film rights to the fantasy novel The Anubis Tapestry by Bruce Zick for an animated film titled Anubis. David H. Steinberg wrote the first draft for the film. The film was scheduled for release on July 15, 2016, but was pushed back to March 23, 2018, in favor of Ice Age: Collision Course, but it was pulled from its schedule by June 2017. Blue Sky closed in April 2021, ending development on the film.
2009 Series Title Description Feature film Spore In October 2009, EA and AIG announced an animated film adaptation of the video game Spore to be produced by Blue Sky Studios. Chris Wedge was attached to direct the proposed film with Greg Erb and Jason Oremland (story writers for The Princess and the Frog and screenwriters for 2022's Reindeer In Here) penning the screenplay. The Magician's Elephant In August 2009, 20th Century Fox announced an animated adaptation of a novel titled The Magician's Elephant, with Martin Hynes attached to direct. Julia Pistor was also confirmed as a producer of the film. By December 2020, after languishing into development hell for a number of years, Netflix acquired the film rights to the book to develop the animated feature film, with Animal Logic working on the animation. Noah Jupe, Benedict Wong, Pixie Davies, Sian Clifford, Brian Tyree Henry, Mandy Patinkin, Miranda Richardson, Cree Summer, and Lorraine Toussaint were all cast to star in the film. The film was released on March 17, 2023. The Berenstain Bears A planned Berenstain Bears feature film adaptation was announced in 2009 by 20th Century Fox, 20th Century Fox Animation and Walden Media and director Shawn Levy, whose company 21 Laps was slated to produce the film. The project was envisioned as a comedy with both live action and animated elements, and an original storyline that would combine details from several Berenstain books. According to Levy: "I'd like the film to be un-ironic about its family connections but have a wry comedic sensibility that isn't oblivious to the fact that they're bears". Comparing it to the film Elf, Levy said he thought the Berenstain Bears film would be "witty but never sarcastic". As of January 2012, the project was reportedly in the script phase, but the company's option has since expired.
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