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.[1] 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.[2] 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.
Television series
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) 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. However, after an animation test and conceptual artwork, Fox Animation declined to approve the project.[3][4]
Feature film
Dracula
At one time, Fox Animation had planned to produce an animated musical adaptation of Dracula.[5]
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.[6][7] The story was to tell of Santa Claus asking three gifted children to help him defeat an army of dark elves and save Christmas.
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.[9]
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.[10][11] Unfortunately, however, the studio has been shut down due to the financial failure of Titan A.E..
In June 2000, it was reported that Fox was adapting the comic book series Fathom.[13]
Feature film
The Little Beauty King
In 2000, it was reported that Steve Oedekerk was developing The Little Beauty King, which was supposed to be a satirical animated film of the Disney Renaissance films.[13][15][16]
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 actor 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.[17] However, Fox Kids ceased its operations in September 2002, and no network wanted to pick up the series,[18] which resulted in the abandonment of this project.
2003
Series
Title
Description
Feature 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.[19] However, in August 2006, it was announced that the project was shelved.[20]
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 March 23, 2018,[21][22][23] but, by June 2017, it had been removed from its schedule.[24]
2009
Series
Title
Description
Feature film
Spore
In October 2009, EA and AIG announced the development of a computer-animated film adaptation of the video game Spore to be produced by Blue Sky Studios. Chris Wedge was attached to direct the proposed film.[25]
2010s
2012
Series
Title
Description
Feature film
Cardboard
On September 2012, Fox Animation optioned graphic novelist Doug TenNapel's published Graphix novel Cardboard, with plans for actor Tobey Maguire's Material Pictures, Doug TenNapel and the Gotham Group to be executive producers for the film. Fox planned to have the picture developed under its WedgeWorks subsidiary. WedgeWorks director Chris Wedge (Ice Age) was producing, and considered directing the film as well.[26]
20th Century Fox was producing an animated feature film based on the comic book series Mouse Guard by David 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 while Andy Serkis, Idris Elba, Samson Kayo, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, and Jack 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.[27] In the following June, Ball and concept artist Derek Zabrocki posted pre-visualization artwork and a proof of concept demo reel.[28]
In November 2016, it was reported that Tonko House and Fox Animation were co-producing an animated film based on the Academy Award-nominated short film.[29] However, due to the acquisition of 20th Century Fox to Disney, Kondo and Tsutsumi decided to bring the project back to Tonko House, in which the directors would resume finding a new studio partner.[30]
In May 2017, FXX placed a series order for an animated series based on Deadpool, to be co-produced by Marvel Television, Marvel Animation, Fox Television Animation, FX Productions, and ABC Signature Studios. Donald Glover and his brother Stephen Glover were announced as showrunners, executive producers, and writers for the series.[31] In late March 2018, it was announced that FXX would not move forward with the series due to creative differences.[32] Stephen Glover later admitted that the "creative difference" in question involved an episode revolving around Taylor Swift which FXX stated was the "last straw" and that they wanted to give Rick and Morty "a run for its money".[33]
^Couch, Aaron (June 30, 2017). "Fox Carves Out Dates for 6 Mystery Marvel Movies". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 30, 2017. Meanwhile, animated film Anubis, previously set for March 23, 2018, has been taken off the calendar.