Sydney's Fox Studios renamed as Disney Studios Australia

Fox Studios Australia has today renamed to Disney Studios Australia (part of The Walt Disney Company’s Australian footprint) with the renaming coinciding with an Australian Government  announcement that 20th Century Studios’ Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is to begin production at the studios in Sydney.

Production will be under the direction of Wes Ball (The Maze Runner trilogy) and with an allocation of $17 million in support from the Australian Government, and funding through Screen NSW’s Made In NSW fund.

Disney Studios Australia’s latest blockbuster production, Kingdom of Planet of Apes was attracted to Australia by the Federal Government’s Location Incentive and is anticipated to  support 400 local screen jobs.

Steve Asbell, President of 20th Century Studios notes “‘Planet of the Apes’ is one of the most iconic and storied science fiction franchises in film history, as well as being an indelible part of our studio’s legacy. With Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes we are privileged to continue the series’ tradition of imaginative, thought-provoking cinema, and can’t wait to share Wes’ extraordinary vision for this new chapter with audiences in 2024.”

‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ begins an all-new chapter in the ‘Planet of the Apes’ saga – picking up many years after the conclusion of 2017’s ‘War for the Planet of the Apes’.

‘Planet of the Apes’ – which follows the rise of an intelligent ape species fighting for control over Earth and its human inhabitants – is one of 20th Century Studios’ most popular and enduring franchises, amassing more than $1.7 billion worldwide.

This production will inject more than $128 million into the Australian economy, utilising the services of more than 1,000 local businesses.

Federal Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke, said the funding was part of the Australian Government’s commitment to strengthening employment and skills development opportunities for all Australian screen workers.

Minister Burke enthused “I’m excited to welcome Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes to Australia. This production will support jobs and give our leading digital and visual effects workers the opportunity to showcase their talents to global audiences.

“Having a small part of the Disney universe right here in Australia is a significant boost to our local industry.

“Through our incentives, international production companies have the confidence to invest in Australia – to train our screen industry professionals, facilitate research and development in Australia, and to encourage the building of more studios. This is essential for the growth of our entire screen industry and will provide a consistent career pathway for the next generation of Australian talent and filmmakers.”

NSW Minister for the Arts, Ben Franklin added “the decision to film this blockbuster production Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes in Sydney is a testament to the value of NSW Government support and the calibre of our globally competitive NSW screen industry.”

To date, $412 million has been committed under the Australian Government’s Location Incentive, to attract 36 international productions to Australia. This will generate more than $3.09 billion in private investment, providing more than 22,200 employment opportunities for local cast and crew, and creating work for over 22,200 businesses that support these big productions.

Image: Fox Studios Australia, now Disney Studios Australia, prior to recent developments at the SCG and Allianz Stadium.