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This is alist of unmade and unreleased animated projects by20th Century Studios. Some of these films and shows were, or still are, indevelopment 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, andLocksmith Animation), as well as sequels to their franchises.
| Contents: | 1990s:1991 · 1992 · 1993 · 1994 · 1995 · 1998 · 1999 |
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| Series | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Television series | The Adventures of MC Skat Kat and the Stray Mob | SingerPaula Abdul was in talks for an animated series based on theanimated rapperMC Skat Kat forFox Kids along with an animated movie forUniversal 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.[1] |
| Series | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Alien | Operation: Aliens | In 1992, a planned animated series based on the 1986 filmAliens titledOperation: Aliens was being produced forFox Kids along with an LCD game, board game, aSega 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.[2][3][4][5] |
| Series | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Ren & Stimpy | UntitledRen & 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 asthe aforementionedRen & 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 creatorJohn Kricfalusi (who would be forced out several months after the deal was announced).[6][7] Fox's film deal with Nick expired whenViacom purchased the network, along withParamount Pictures, in 1994 leaving Paramount to distribute and co-producethe network's theatrically released films. |
| Doug | UntitledDoug film | Nickelodeon was also making aDoug 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 whenViacom acquiredParamount Pictures in 1994, and the deal expired in the following year. The film would later be made underDisney as a response to the success ofDisney TVA's own series that aired onABC and released asDoug's 1st Movie.[8][9] |
| Series | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Television series | Youngblood | A half-hourYoungblood animated series was planned for the 1995–96 season onFox Kids as part of an hour block with a proposedCyberforce series.[10] 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.[11] A clip was created but the series was never produced due to Fox Kids signing an exclusive deal withMarvel Comics. The clip aired in commercials for Youngblood action figures. |
| Cyberforce | ACyberforce TV series was proposed aside with theYoungblood TV series, but was scrapped alongside it for the same reason.[citation needed] |
| Series | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Feature film | Betty of the Jungle | In 1995, animatorBill Kopp (creator ofFox Kids'Eek! the Cat,The Terrible Thunderlizards andMad Jack The Pirate) pitched an idea for an originaladult animated film calledBetty of the Jungle, in which he describes it as a sexyGeorge of the Jungle about jungle warrior woman Betty (set to be voiced byLoni Anderson) and her gun-caringpoodle (set to be voiced byBruce Willis) who battle evil to protect their jungle village. After an animation test and conceptual artwork, Fox Animation declined to approve the project.[12][13] |
| Dracula | At one time, Fox Animation had planned to produce an animated musical adaptation ofDracula.[14] |
| Series | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Feature film | Santa Calls | In their first partnership withBlue Sky Studios, their first feature film with them was an adaptation of the children's bookSanta Calls byWilliam Joyce.[15][16] The story was to tell ofSanta Claus asking three gifted children to help him defeat an army of dark elves and saveChristmas. |
| Goosebumps | Back in 1998,Tim Burton was attached to produce a film adaptation of theGoosebumps children's horror books byR.L. Stine. It was going to be produced by 20th Century Fox andDreamWorks 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 andSony Pictures Animation made aGoosebumps film directed byRob Letterman, along witha sequel in 2018. |
| Series | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Feature film | Inferno: Rebellion in Hell | In 1999, Fox Animation had optionedBarlowe's Inferno byWayne Barlowe into a potentialadult animated film that would follow one man's journey into Hell.[17] |
| Rhapsody | Fox Animation had intended to produce an animated film based on the first installment of theRhapsody trilogy byElizabeth Haydon. The story was to tell of a human girl named Rhapsody going on an epic quest with the warrior Achmed and aFirbolg named Grunthor.[18] |
| 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.[19] Unfortunately, however, the project was cancelled when the studio was shut down due to the financial failure ofTitan A.E.. |
| Over the Hedge | Fox Animation originally acquired the film rights to theUnited Media comic stripOver the Hedge for a feature film produced byFox Animation Studios. The idea of the film was conceived whenDon Bluth andGary Goldman showed the comic strip to its headChris Meledandri, who was impressed by its humour and acquired rights to the strip. He asked the screenwriting duo ofJeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman to write the script for the film. In February 2001, due to the financial failure ofTitan A.E., it was later acquired byDreamWorks Animation underJeffrey Katzenberg when Fox placed the film inturnaround as ananimated feature, which was released on May 19, 2006.[20] | |
| Party Animals | By June 2000, theFarrelly brothers (There's Something About Mary) were developing an animated adaptation of the novelFrisco Pigeon Mambo byC.D. Payne.[21]Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy) was attached to write and direct the project in June 2003.[22] | |
| Fathom | By June 2000, Fox planned to adapt the comic book seriesFathom.[21] | |
| The Little Beauty King | In 2000,Steve Oedekerk was developingThe Little Beauty King, which was supposed to be a satirical animated film of theDisney Renaissance films.[21][23][24] |
| Series | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Buffy: The Animated Series | In 2001,Joss Whedon and20th Century Fox started the development ofBuffy the Animated Series, an animated spin-off of Whedon's popular TV showBuffy the Vampire Slayer. Whedon andJeph Loeb were to produce the show while many actors of theoriginal series were attached to reprise their roles. It was initially planned to be aired inFox Kids, possibly as early in February 2002,[25] butFox Kids ceased to broadcast in September 2002. No network wanted to pick up the series,[26] which resulted in the abandonment of this project. |
| Series | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Feature film | The Iguana Brothers | In September 2003, 20th Century Fox andBlue Sky Studios planned to adapt Tony Johnson andMark Teague's children's bookThe Iguana Brothers: A Tale of Two Lizards into an animated film.[27] |
| The Wainscott Weasel | In November 2003, 20th Century Fox andBlue Sky Studios planned to adaptTor Seidler's children's bookThe Wainscott Weasel into an animated film,[28] but the project was shelved in 2006.[29] |
| 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 titularDark Horse Comics property,[30] withChris Meledandri and John Cohen producing it.[31] In 2008, Dark Horse founder, writer and publisherMike Richardson came on board to produce the film.[32] Meledandri would eventually take it to his own company,Illumination forUniversal Pictures in 2011, with Melisa Wallack (the screenwriter forMirror Mirror) to pen the script for the adaptation on August of that year,[33][34] while Kealan O’Rourke rewrote the film's script.[35] In December 2016, both Meledandri and Universal abandoned the project, and Dark Horse entered negotiations withAmazon Studios to make an animated film.[36] However, as of April 2025, no further announcements have been provided. |
| Series | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Feature film | Sheepish | In October 2006, Fox,Starz Animation, and Odyssey Entertainment announcedSheepish, 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 byDaniel St. Pierre and Kevin Johnson, and written by Bart Coughlin.[37][38][39][40]Kristen Bell was also meant to voice a character.[41] |
| Series | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Feature film | Anubis | In April 2008, Fox and Blue Sky acquired the film rights to the fantasy novelThe Anubis Tapestry by Bruce Zick for an animated film titledAnubis.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 ofIce Age: Collision Course,[42][43][44] but, by June 2017, it was removed from its schedule.[45] Blue Sky closed in April 2021, ending development on the film.[46] |
| Series | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Feature film | Spore | In October 2009,EA and AIG announced an animated film adaptation of the video gameSpore to be produced by Blue Sky Studios.Chris Wedge was attached to direct the proposed film with Greg Erb and Jason Oremland (story writers forThe Princess and the Frog and screenwriters for 2022's Reindeer In Here) penning the screenplay.[47] |
| The Magician's Elephant | In August 2009, 20th Century Fox announced an animated adaptation of a novel titledThe Magician's Elephant, withMartin Hynes attached to direct.[48] Julia Pistor was also confirmed as a producer of the film.[49] By December 2020, after languishing intodevelopment hell for a number of years,Netflix acquired the film rights to the book to develop the animated feature film, withAnimal Logic working on the animation.Noah Jupe,Benedict Wong,Pixie Davies,Sian Clifford,Brian Tyree Henry,Mandy Patinkin,Miranda Richardson,Cree Summer, andLorraine Toussaint were all cast to star in the film.[50] The film was released on March 17, 2023. | |
| The Berenstain Bears | A plannedBerenstain Bears featurefilm adaptation was announced in 2009 by 20th Century Fox, 20th Century Fox Animation andWalden Media and directorShawn Levy, whose company21 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 severalBerenstain 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 filmElf, Levy said he thought theBerenstain Bears film would be "witty but never sarcastic".[51] As of January 2012, the project was reportedly in the script phase,[52] but the company's option has since expired. |
| Series | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Feature film | Mutts | In 2011,Blue Sky Studios announced a film adaptation of the comic strip,Mutts.[53] Patrick McDonnell and his brother Robert McDonnell were hired to write the script, while Patrick was attached as executive producer.[54] In late 2014, Patrick delivered the final draft of the film script, which was then, according to him, on a drawing board.[55][56] Blue Sky closed in April 2021, ending development on the film.[46] |
| Mr. Men and Little Miss | By February 2011, 20th Century Fox Animation was developing an animated feature film based on theMr. Men book series, withShawn Levy producing the film through his company21 Laps Entertainment.[57] Fox Animation acquired the film rights to theMr. Men Little Miss characters in January 2015.[58] |
| Series | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Feature film | Cardboard | In September 2012, Fox Animation optioned graphic novelistDoug TenNapel's publishedGraphix novelCardboard, with plans for actorTobey Maguire's Material Pictures, Doug TenNapel and theGotham Group to be executive producers for the film. Fox planned to have the picture developed under its WedgeWorks subsidiary. WedgeWorks directorChris Wedge (Ice Age) was producing, and considered directing the film as well.[59] |
| Ology | Alienology | In 2012,Carlos Saldanha, the director of theIce Age andRio films, was developing for20th Century Fox andBlue Sky Studios an animated feature film based onAlienology: The Complete Book of Extraterrestrials.[60] In 2018,Paramount Pictures instead began to develop the live-action film franchise based on all 13Ology books.[61] |
| Diary of a Wimpy Kid | Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever | In 2012,Jeff Kinney, the author of theDiary of a Wimpy Kid books, had announced the possibility for an animated film to be based onDiary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever as the next installment. In an interview forDiary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck, Kinney stated that he was working withFox on a half-hour special based onCabin Fever, which was scheduled to air in late 2014.[62][63] The special was meant to be an animated production developed at 20th Century Fox Animation, and had begun development while Kinney worked in the live-action films. No news emerged regarding the development of the TV special and was presumably canceled. Instead,an animated film adaptation of the book released onDisney+ on December 8, 2023.[64][65] |
| Series | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| American Dad! | UntitledAmerican Dad! film | DuringComic-Con 2013 held in July,American Dad! co-creatorMike Barker revealed itsfilm project which would take place onRoger's planet and may take place in the future. Barker did not announce any specifics as it relates to the nature and type of film he and the rest of the show's creators had in mind for the series, but he strongly suggested that a film is where the show's staff and creators would like to take things.[66] At Comic-Con 2022, co-creatorMatt Weitzman revealed that plans for a feature film were scrapped.[67] In August, 2025 during an interview with Comic Book Resources, Matt Weitzman mentioned that theAmerican Dad! movie won't likely happen until they are done with their recent 56 episode renewal.[68] |
| Series | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| The Book of Life | Sequels toThe Book of Life | Director Jorge Gutierrez revealed in an interview that one of the ideas for the next chapter in the story involves Joaquin and his relationship with his father. The first film was about Manolo, the second was to be about Joaquín and the third one about Maria, conceiving it as a trilogy.[69] By June 2017, Gutierrez and Reel FX Animation began the development on the sequel, but two years later, Gutierrez clarified on Twitter that there are currently no plans for a sequel.[70][71] |
| Series | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Feature film | Mega Man | By September 2015,Chernin Entertainment andCapcom began developing aMega Man film withPeter Chernin producing along with Mike Ireland and Ryan Harrigan and David Ready and Michael Finfer overseeing the film.[72][73] It was unknown whether or not it was going to be set as a live-action/animated film at the time. In July 2017,Henry Joost andAriel Schulman were hired to write and direct the film withMasi Oka producing.[74] FollowingThe Walt Disney Company'sacquisition of 20th Century Fox's parent company,21st Century Fox in March 2019, the film along with numerous video game-based films in development at Fox were cancelled in August.[75] On October 29, Capcom indicated to investors in a semi-annual report that the film is still in development at Disney.[76]Mattson Tomlin was hired to rewrite the script for Capcom and Chernin Entertainment.[77] In April 2020, Peter Chernin and Chernin Entertainment signed to a non-exclusive first-look feature film producing deal withNetflix.[78][79] After Disney put the project onturnaround, Netflix acquired it. |
| Amulet | In November 2015, 20th Century Fox acquired the rights to produce a film based on Kazu Kibuishi's book series of the same name, which was previously in development under Warner Bros.[80] A year later on June 20,Aron Coleite signed on to direct.[81] In June 2021, Kazu Kibuishi confirmed on Twitter that the film was cancelled and the film rights had lapsed back to him.[82] On October 17, 2024,Netflix acquired the film rights toAmulet, withJason Fuchs attached to co-write with Kibuishi (who will also serve as an executive producer), whileShawn Levy, Dan Cohen, andDan Levine will produce under21 Laps Entertainment.[83] |
| Series | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Archer | UntitledArcher film | In June 2016,Archer creator and executive producerMatt Thompson and executive producer Casey Willis discussed the possibility of afeature-length film withThe Daily Beast. According to Thompson, this discussion happens "once every two years" among Reed and the producers, although work on the project would likely not begin until after the show ends.[84] They citedJon Hamm as their ideal choice of actor to portray Sterling if it is commissioned as alive-action adaptation.[84] The series would end in December 2023 with its TV movieInto the Cold, ending any plans of an actual feature film adaption.[citation needed] |
| Feature film | Mouse Guard | 20th Century Fox was producing an animated feature film based on the comic book seriesMouse Guard byDavid Petersen. The story was described as a fantasy epic about a group of medieval mice sworn to protect their fellow rodents from dangerous forces.Wes Ball was director whileAndy Serkis,Idris Elba, Samson Kayo,Thomas Brodie-Sangster, andJack Whitehall were attached to star. In April 2019, following Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox, the project was cancelled two weeks before production was to begin.[85] In the following June, Ball and concept artist Derek Zabrocki posted pre-visualization artwork and aproof of concept demo reel.[86] |
| The Dam Keeper | By November 2016, Tonko House andFox Animation were co-producing an animated film based on the Academy Award-nominated short film.[87] However, due to theacquisition of 20th Century Fox to Disney, Kondo andTsutsumi decided to bring the project back to Tonko House, in which the directors would resume finding a new studio partner.[88] | |
| The Royal Rabbits of London | By April 2016, 20th Century Fox Animation was developingThe Royal Rabbits of London, based on the book series of the same name by Santa Montefiore and Simon Sebag Montefiore.[89] | |
| Zita the Spacegirl | In 2016,Fox Animation acquired the film rights for theZita the Spacegirl trilogy, written by cartoonistBen Hatke. The films were to be produced byChernin Entertainment.[90][91] |
| Series | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Deadpool | UntitledDeadpool series | In May 2017,FXX placed a series order for an animated series based onDeadpool, to be co-produced byMarvel Television,Marvel Animation,Fox Television Animation, FX Productions, andABC Signature Studios.Donald Glover and his brotherStephen Glover were announced as showrunners, executive producers, and writers for the series.[92] In late March 2018, FXX decided not to move forward with the series due to creative differences.[93] Stephen Glover later admitted that the "creative difference" in question involved an episode revolving aroundTaylor Swift which FXX stated was the "last straw" and that they wanted to giveRick and Morty "a run for its money".[94] |
| Feature film | Frogkisser! | Alive-action animated musical film adaptation ofFrogkisser! fromBlue Sky Studios was announced in 2017, based on the book of the same name byGarth Nix, withMichael McCullers (writer of theAustin Powers films,Baby Mama, andThe Boss Baby) to pen the script.[95] |
| The Witch Boy | In May 2017, 20th Century Fox Animation announced a film adaptation ofLee Knox Ostertag's graphic novelThe Witch Boy. The story is set in a world where girls are born as witches and boys are born as shapeshifters, and one boy named Aster breaks that by becoming a witch.[96] After Disney bought 20th Century Fox, the project was sold toNetflix Animation, to be an animated musical and animator Minkyu Lee's directorial debut.[97] In April 2024, it was reported that Lee left as director.[98] | |
| Escape from Hat | In April 2017, 20th Century Fox Animation announced an animated film adaptation of Adam Kline's fantasy bookEscape from Hat withMark Osborne set to direct and co-write the script with Kline, and Jinko Gotoh producing the film along with Osborne.[99] By November 2018,Netflix acquired the film.[100][101] In August 2023, it was reported that the film was no longer in development atNetflix Animation.[102] |
| Series | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Feature film | Confessions of an Imaginary Friend | In May 2018, Martino was attached to direct an animated film based on Michelle Cuevas' novelConfessions of an Imaginary Friend, for Blue Sky Studios with Tripper Clancy writing the script.[103] The film was revived in 2021 atDisney Television Animation as part of the promotion of Lisa Fragner after Blue Sky Studios closed that April, and is scheduled for release as aDisney+ original film.[46][104][105] |
| Foster | An animated fantasy musical film fromBlue Sky Studios was announced in 2018 under the working titleFoster, withTim Federle to pen the script,Marc Platt (La La Land) to produce,Karen Disher andSteve Martino to direct andPasek and Paul (La La Land,The Greatest Showman and 2019 version ofAladdin) to write the songs for the film.[106][107][108] It was scheduled to release on March 5, 2021, but following Disney's acquisition of Fox in May 2019, the film was removed from the release schedule.[109] Blue Sky closed in April 2021, ending development of the film.[46] |
Meanwhile, animated film Anubis, previously set for March 23, 2018, has been taken off the calendar.
Just a month earlier, McDonnell says, he handed in a final draft of a film script to Fox Animation and Blue Sky Studios – the same companies that are teaming for the "Peanuts" movie due out next November. "Mutts", as a film, is literally on the drawing board. "As a matter of fact, I'm going [to Connecticut] Tuesday to Blue Sky to look at some art ... ," McDonnell says.