Another branch of Disney has fallen victim to the crippling effects of the coronavirus pandemic—the Blue Sky animation studio will be shutting down in April this year. A Disney spokesperson mentioned that the studio is trying to handle the financial losses that the lockdown has brought to the entertainment industry, and the decision to close Blue Sky is a result of this.
Blue Sky became a part of Disney in 2019 when the studio bought 21st Century Fox and all its assets. Most famous for producing the wildly successful Ice Age movies, Blue Sky also has Rio, The Peanuts Movie, and the Oscar-nominated Ferdinand under its belt. It was also a part of non-animated features like A Simple Wish, Joe’s Apartment, and the cult classic, Fight Club.
Ever since the lockdown started, theatres have been closed, and most films, at least those that could finish production amidst strict COVID-19 regulations, are moving to streaming platforms. Before its closing, Blue Sky was working as an animation studio alongside Walt Disney Animation and Disney Pixar Animation. But the losses incurred due to the pandemic has made the sustenance of all three studios very difficult.
“Given the current economic realities, after much consideration and evaluation, we have made the difficult decision to close filmmaking operations at Blue Sky Studios.”
Disney Spokesperson
Blue Sky’s closing means the loss of jobs for hundreds of employees and several projects having a premature death. Among these movies are Noelle Stevenson’s comic series Nimona, and an Ice Age TV series that was also supposed to be released but is now left with an uncertain fate.
Earlier this year, Disney closed Radio Disney and Radio Disney Country because of financial difficulties arising from the pandemic. With theatres not even close to being fully functional, the studio might not be over the worst yet.
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