Disney Studios Australia (formerly known as Fox Studios Australia) is a

motion picture A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, since ...

and television production facility in

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

that has operated as part of

The Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was founded on October 16 ...

since 2019. Occupying the site of the former Sydney Showground at Moore Park, the studio was created in May 1998 by the now-defunct

News Corporation The original incarnation of News Corporation (abbreviated News Corp. and also variously known as News Corporation Limited) was an American Multinational corporation, multinational mass media corporation founded and controlled by media mogul Ru ...

, later split into

21st Century Fox Twenty-First Century Fox, Inc., which did business as 21st Century Fox, was an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate based in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It was formed on June 28, 2013, as the legal successor ...

, which Disney acquired in 2019. The 32-acre-site, which is 15 minutes from the

Sydney CBD The Sydney central business district (CBD) is the historical and main Central business district, commercial centre of Sydney. The CBD is Sydney's city centre, or Sydney City, and the two terms are used interchangeably. Colloquially, the CBD or ...

, features eight sound stages, several production offices, workshops, and around 60 independent entertainment industry businesses. The studio has been involved in the production of numerous major films, including ''

The Matrix ''The Matrix'' is a 1999 science fiction film, science fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowskis. It is the first installment in the The Matrix (franchise), ''Matrix'' film series, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Ca ...

'', '' Moulin Rouge!'', '' Mission: Impossible 2'', ''

Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and Cultural impact of Star Wars, quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop cu ...

Episodes II'' and '' III'', '' Superman Returns'', and '' Son of the Mask''.

Site history

Prior to 1998, the Studio's site was host to Sydney's Royal Easter Show – the largest event held in Australia, and the sixth largest in the world. In 1881, the

New South Wales Government The Government of New South Wales, also known as the NSW Government, is the executive state government of New South Wales, Australia. The government comprises 11 portfolios, led by a ministerial department and supported by several agencies. Th ...

provided land for the ''Royal Agricultural Society'' at Moore Park where the show was held for 16 years. From 1902 to 1919, the site expanded to the south and from 1920 to 1937, the Moore Park Showground expanded to the north. In 1998, the Show moved to a new showground and the former Sydney Showground at Moore Park became the home to Fox Studios Australia. The 132,000 square metre (32 acre) site includes eight stages, production offices and heavy industrial workshops, and a community of over 60 independent businesses. These businesses provide services such as equipment hire, travel and freight,

casting Casting is a manufacturing process in which a liquid material is usually poured into a mold, which contains a hollow cavity of the desired shape, and then allowed to solidify. The solidified part is also known as a casting, which is ejected or ...

, postproduction, and explosives/pyrotechnic factory, adjoining residential properties. Disney Studios Australia houses

post-production Post-production, also known simply as post, is part of the process of filmmaking, video production, audio production, and photography. Post-production includes all stages of production occurring after principal photography or recording indivi ...

specialists in film editing, sound re-recording and

sound In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid. In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' by the br ...

Backlot Theme Park

Fox Studios Backlot was purportedly based on

Universal Studios Hollywood Universal Studios Hollywood is a film studio and Amusement park, theme park located in Universal City, California, near Hollywood, Los Angeles. It is one of the oldest and most famous Hollywood film studios still in use. Its official marketin ...

Universal Studios Florida Universal Studios Florida is a theme park located in Orlando, Florida, that opened on June 7, 1990. Owned and operated by NBCUniversal, it features numerous rides, attractions, and live shows that are primarily themed to movies, television, and ...

, and Disney's Hollywood Studios. The $261 million park opened on 7 November 1999. An adjacent precinct provides restaurants and cafes, a retail complex, parklands, entertainment venues, and sporting facilities. The adjacent precinct was previously known as simply 'Fox Studios Entertainment Precinct'. The backlot closed down in 2001 and the entrance remains at Fox Studios Australia.

Ownership

Disney Studios Australia is owned by the media conglomerate

, under the terms of a 99-year lease from the New South Wales State Government. The decision by the Carr Government in 1995 to allow

, predecessor of

, to take over the site was controversial and attracted criticism from sections of the media such as ''

The Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper published in Sydney, Australia, and owned by Nine Entertainment. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuous ...

'' and independent MP

Clover Moore Clover Margaret Moore (née Collins, born 22 October 1945) is an Australian politician. She has been the Lord Mayor of the City of Sydney since 2004 and is currently the longest serving Lord Mayor of Sydney since the creation of the City of Sy ...

. It was alleged that a secret deal took place between the NSW Government and the largest shareholder and Chairman/CEO of News Corporation,

Rupert Murdoch Keith Rupert Murdoch ( ; born 11 March 1931) is an Australian - American retired business magnate, investor, and media mogul. Through his company News Corp, he is the owner of hundreds of List of assets owned by News Corp, local, national, a ...

, involving the donation of $25 million in taxpayers' money for the new site. On 20 March 2019,

completed its acquisition of 21st Century Fox, and now owns the studio, as well as

20th Century Studios 20th Century Studios, Inc., formerly 20th Century Fox, is an American film studio, film production and Film distributor, distribution company owned by the Walt Disney Studios (division), Walt Disney Studios, the film studios division of the ...

and other related film units. On 10 October 2022, the studio dropped the " Fox" branding and was officially renamed Disney Studios Australia.

Productions

The studio has been involved in a number of movies and television shows including:

Films

*'' No Escape'' (1994) *'' Babe'' (1995) *'' Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie'' (1995) *'' Dark City'' (1998) *'' Babe: Pig in the City'' (1998) *'' Holy Smoke!'' (1999) *''

'' (1999) *'' Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace'' (1999) *'' Mission: Impossible 2'' (2000) *'' Moulin Rouge!'' (2001) *'' La Spagnola'' (2001) *'' Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones'' (2002) *'' The Quiet American'' (2002) *''

The Matrix Reloaded ''The Matrix Reloaded'' is a 2003 American science fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowskis. It is the sequel to ''The Matrix'' (1999) and the second installment in the ''Matrix'' film series. The film stars Keanu Reeves, L ...

'' (2003) *'' Kangaroo Jack'' (2003) *'' The Matrix Revolutions'' (2003) *'' The Night We Called It a Day'' (2003) *'' Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith'' (2005) *'' Son of the Mask'' (2005) *'' Stealth'' (2005) *'' Superman Returns'' (2006) *'' Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' (2008) *''

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

'' (2008) *'' X-Men Origins: Wolverine'' (2009) *'' Accidents Happen'' (2009) *'' Tomorrow When the War Began'' (2010) *'' Happy Feet Two'' (2011) *''

The Great Gatsby ''The Great Gatsby'' () is a 1925 novel by American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. Set in the Jazz Age on Long Island, near New York City, the novel depicts first-person narrator Nick Carraway's interactions with Jay Gatsby, a mysterious mi ...

'' (2013) *'' The Wolverine'' (2013) *'' The Lego Movie'' (2014) *'' Unbroken'' (2014) *'' Mad Max: Fury Road'' (2015) *'' Gods of Egypt'' (2016) *'' Hacksaw Ridge'' (2016) *'' Alien: Covenant'' (2017) *'' The Lego Batman Movie'' (2017) *'' The Lego Ninjago Movie'' (2017) *''

Peter Rabbit Peter Rabbit is a fictional animal character in various children's stories by English author Beatrix Potter. A mischievous, adventurous young rabbit who wears a blue jacket, he first appeared in ''The Tale of Peter Rabbit'' in 1902, and subseq ...

'' (2018) *'' Pacific Rim Uprising'' (2018) *'' The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part'' (2019) *''

The Invisible Man ''The Invisible Man'' is an 1897 science fiction novel by British writer H. G. Wells. Originally serialised in '' Pearson's Weekly'' in 1897, it was published as a novel the same year. The Invisible Man to whom the title refers is Griffin, a s ...

'' (2020) *'' Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway'' (2021) *''

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings ''Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings'' is a 2021 American superhero film based on Marvel Comics featuring the character Shang-Chi. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is List of Marvel ...

'' (2021) *'' Thor: Love and Thunder'' (2022) *'' The Fall Guy'' (2024) *'' Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes'' (2024) *'' Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga'' (2024) *'' I Know What You Did Last Summer'' (2025) *'' The Deb'' (TBA) *'' Play Dirty'' (TBA)

Television

*''

Farscape ''Farscape'' is an Australian-American Science fiction on television, science fiction television series conceived by Rockne S. O'Bannon and produced by The Jim Henson Company and Hallmark Entertainment, originally for the Nine Network. It prem ...

'' (Nine Network, 1999) *''

Playhouse Disney Playhouse Disney was a brand of programming blocks and international cable and satellite television channels that were owned by the Disney Channels Worldwide unit (now Disney Branded Television) of The Walt Disney Company's Disney–ABC Tele ...

'' (Seven Network, 2003–2008) *''

Australian Idol ''Australian Idol'' is an Australian singing competition, which began its first season in July 2003 and ended its initial run in November 2009. As part of the ''Idol'' franchise, Australian Idol originated from the reality program '' Pop Id ...

'' (Network Ten, 2003–2009) *'' Star Wars: Clone Wars'' (2003–2005) *'' The Upside Down Show'' (2006) *'' Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' (2008–2020) *'' Hi-5'' (Nine Network, 2008) *'' The Barefoot Rugby League Show'' (NITV, 2010–2013) *''

The X Factor ''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for '' Pop Idol'' (2001–200 ...

'' (Seven Network, 2010–2016) *'' Minute To Win It'' (Seven Network, 2010) *'' Good News Week / Good News World'' (Network Ten, 2011) *'' The Voice'' (Nine Network, 2012–2019; Seven Network, 2020–present) *'' Young Talent Time'' (Network Ten, 2012) *'' A League of Their Own'' (Network Ten, 2013) *''

Move It "Move It" is a song written by Ian Samwell and recorded by Cliff Richard and the Drifters (the English band that would later become the Shadows). Originally intended as the B-side to "Schoolboy Crush", it was released as Richard's debut single ...

'' (9Go!, 2014–2018) *'' So You Think You Can Dance Australia'' (Network Ten, 2014) *'' Star Wars Rebels'' (2014–2018) *''

Shark Tank ''Shark Tank'' is an American business Reality television#Investments, reality television series that premiered on August 9, 2009, on American Broadcasting Company, ABC.Hibberd, James (May 10, 2012)Dancing,' 'Bachelor,' and a bigger 'Shark Tank ...

'' (Network Ten, 2015–2018) *'' The Great Australian Spelling Bee'' (Network Ten, 2015–2016) *'' You're Back in the Room'' (Nine Network, 2016) *'' This Time Next Year'' (Nine Network, 2017–2019) *'' Little Big Shots'' (Seven Network, 2017–2018) *'' Dance Boss'' (Seven Network, 2018) *'' All Together Now'' (Seven Network, 2018) *''

Take Me Out A take is a single continuous recorded performance. The term is used in film and music to denote and track the stages of production. Film In cinematography, a take refers to each filmed "version" of a particular shot or "setup". Takes of each ...

'' (Seven Network, 2018) *'' Blind Date'' (Network 10, 2018) *'' Game of Games'' (Network 10, 2018) *''

Dancing with the Stars ''Strictly Come Dancing (widely known as Dancing with the Stars)'' is an international television franchise based on the format of the British TV series '' Strictly Come Dancing,'' itself a successor to the show ''Come Dancing'' (1950–1998) ...

'' (Network 10, 2019; Seven Network, 2024–present) *'' Chris & Julia's Sunday Night Takeaway'' (Network 10, 2019) *'' The Proposal'' (Seven Network, 2019) *'' The Masked Singer Australia'' (Network 10, 2019–2023) *'' Lego Masters Australia'' (Nine Network, 2022–present)

References

External links

*
The Entertainment Quarter
{{Coord, 33.89202, S, 151.22851, E, source:placeopedia, display=title Walt Disney Studios (division) Australian film studios Television studios in Australia Tourist attractions in Sydney Australian companies established in 1998 Mass media companies established in 1998 Disney production studios Amusement parks in Australia Film production companies of Australia Television production companies of Australia Moore Park, New South Wales Companies based in Sydney