Movies - TV
Disney Buying Fox Changed Family Guy In One Big, Unwelcome Way
By WITNEY SEIBOLD
Disney completed its purchase of Fox in March 2019, acquiring many TV shows and feature films that don’t quite fit with its family-friendly brand.
One of these IPs is the notoriously crass animated sitcom “Family Guy.” When Disney took over ownership, major changes needed to be made to the adult animated show.
With Disney owning so much, it’s harder for “Family Guy” to make pop culture references without corporate scrutiny. Showrunner Rich Appel spoke about these new difficulties.
In an interview with Hollywood Reporter, Appel said that Disney is more brand-sensitive, which has led to a few “headbutt sessions” with Disney executives about certain properties.
Before the purchase, “Family Guy” felt free to joke about other pop properties, like “Lord of the Rings.” The show even made jokes at Disney’s expense numerous times.
However, now, “Family Guy” will need to follow Disney executives’ guidelines regarding what they can parody on their show.