The rebranding is official: in the wake of the 20th Century Fox film division updating their emails last night to @20thCenturyStudios, both labels are dropping Fox from their logos. Going forward, you’ll see the Searchlight Pictures logo on their specialty fare, and 20th Century Studios on their big, wide release films.
According to “Deadline”, Disney can still legally use Fox in logos if they choose to but the reason for dropping the big name is to avoid confusion with the general public, especially as the Murdochs keep the Fox name in regards to their big broadcast network and cable and business news cable networks.
The change for the Searchlight Pictures logo can already be seen in new TV spots. The new Will Ferrell-Julia Louis Dreyfus comedy Downhill which is making its world premiere at Sundance and opens on February 14, already features the rebranding in their promos. The new 20th Century Studios label can be seen on the upcoming feature adaptation of Jack London’s Call of the Wild starring Harrison Ford, due out on February 21.
BTW, in case you were worried that the iconic 20th Century Fox theme music by Alfred Newman would be dropped as well, rest easy. Reports say the theme will remain intact despite the rebranding.
The update of the Searchlight and 20th Century logos follows in the wake of Disney and Fox’s TV operations being renamed last October with everything except ESPN falling under Walt Disney Television, led by Peter Rice. The changing of the logos is just another step in making the merger even more official as Disney had taken over and Fox is being brought into the fold.
