Buyer Database · Buyer / Distributor · Updated
20th Television
20th Television is Disney's prolific in-house TV studio, supplying character-driven series across Hulu, Disney+, and FX while doubling down on franchise revivals and overall deals with top showrunners.
Current mandate
20th Television occupies a central position inside Disney Entertainment Television, functioning as the primary development and production studio feeding content to Hulu, Disney+, and FX. The studio's current strategic moment is defined by franchise stewardship and the cultivation of long-term showrunner relationships through overall deals. The revival of King of the Hill on Hulu, which debuted Season 14 after a 15-year hiatus, became an immediate streaming event: Nielsen data placed it at No. 2 on its overall Top 10 streaming chart for opening week, behind only Netflix's Wednesday, with 1.21 billion minutes of U.S. streaming time recorded. Disney's confidence in the property is reflected in the subsequent renewal for Seasons 15, 16, and 17, with Season 15 set to premiere on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ in 2026.
The studio's acquisition pattern over the past year centers on locking in creative talent through overall deals rather than acquiring finished projects on the open market. The renewal of showrunner Saladin Patterson's overall deal, covering both 20th Television and 20th Television Animation, is representative of this approach: Patterson is developing multiple original live-action and animated series simultaneously within the Disney ecosystem. A separate overall deal with Rashad Raisani, recorded in October 2025, reinforces the pattern. The content focus remains broadly entertaining, character-driven series with franchise potential and wide audience appeal, spanning genres and formats for both linear networks and streaming platforms.
Material reaches 20th Television primarily through established industry relationships, overall deals, and the studio's own development pipeline. Every tracked deal in the recent record set came through talent-side arrangements, with no unsolicited pathway documented in available data. Screenwriters and producers seeking to work with the studio are most likely to connect through representation or by attaching to projects already in development within the Disney Entertainment Television orbit. The studio's emphasis on Disney-platform exclusivity means that projects with natural fits for Hulu, FX, or Disney+ audiences are the most relevant targets for any pitch conversation.
Signature peaks
- 1B+ hours Franchise Streaming Scale — King of the Hill has amassed more than 1 billion hours streamed globally across Hulu and Disney+ since November 2018.
- Seasons 15-17 Seasons Ordered Ahead — Disney has renewed King of the Hill through at least Season 17, reflecting deep franchise confidence.
- Multiple active Showrunner Overall Deals — Recent overall deals with Saladin Patterson and Rashad Raisani anchor the studio's development pipeline.
Mandate dimensions
- Genre focus
- Not disclosed
- Territory focus
- Not disclosed
- Budget tier (observed)
- Not disclosed
- Access pattern
- All tracked deals at 20th Television have come through overall deal arrangements with named showrunners and writers, including Saladin Patterson and Rashad Raisani, reflecting a pipeline built on exclusive talent relationships within the Disney Entertainment Television ecosystem. No unsolicited pathway is documented in available deal data.
- Deal structure
- 20th Television structures its activity primarily through overall deals with showrunners and writers, securing exclusive development and production rights across live-action and animated series for Disney Entertainment Television platforms including Hulu, Disney+, and FX.
Recent acquisitions
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Rashad Raisani overall deal with 20th Television
Market context
King of the Hill's return to Hulu logged 1.21 billion minutes of streaming in its opening week, signaling that 20th Television's franchise revival strategy is paying off at scale.
20th Television occupies a central position inside Disney Entertainment Television, functioning as the primary development and production studio feeding content to Hulu, Disney+, and FX. The studio's current strategic moment is defined by franchise stewardship and the cultivation of long-term showrunner relationships through overall deals. The revival of King of the Hill on Hulu, which debuted Season 14 after a 15-year hiatus, became an immediate streaming event: Nielsen data placed it at No. 2 on its overall Top 10 streaming chart for opening week, behind only Netflix's Wednesday, with 1.21 billion minutes of U.S. streaming time recorded. Disney's confidence in the property is reflected in the subsequent renewal for Seasons 15, 16, and 17, with Season 15 set to premiere on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ in 2026.
Common questions about 20th Television
Does 20th Television accept unsolicited scripts?
No unsolicited pathway is documented in available deal data. Every tracked arrangement in the recent record set came through talent-side overall deals or established industry relationships. Screenwriters looking to connect with 20th Television are best positioned through representation or by attaching to projects already circulating within the Disney Entertainment Television development ecosystem, which feeds Hulu, Disney+, and FX.
What budget level does 20th Television work at?
As a major in-house studio for Disney Entertainment Television, 20th Television operates at network and premium streaming budget levels. Specific deal financials are not publicly disclosed in recent records, but the studio's mandate, supplying series to Hulu, Disney+, and FX, places it firmly in the upper tier of U.S. television production budgets. Franchise properties like King of the Hill command the kind of investment reflected in multi-season renewals.
What festivals does 20th Television source projects from?
Available deal data does not document a festival acquisition pattern for 20th Television. The studio functions primarily as an in-house development and production entity within Disney, sourcing projects through overall deals with showrunners and writers rather than acquiring finished films or pilots from festival markets. Its pipeline is built internally, with talent locked in through exclusive arrangements covering both live-action and animation.
How do I get my script in front of 20th Television?
Every tracked deal in the recent record set came through overall deal arrangements with established showrunners and writers, such as Saladin Patterson and Rashad Raisani. Representation is the most clearly documented route into the studio's development process. Projects with a natural fit for Hulu, FX, or Disney+ audiences, particularly broadly entertaining, character-driven series with franchise potential, align most closely with the studio's stated mandate.
What genres is 20th Television currently acquiring?
The studio's stated content focus is broadly entertaining, character-driven TV series that span genres and have franchise potential and wide audience appeal. Recent activity highlights animated and live-action comedy with long-running franchise roots, as demonstrated by the King of the Hill revival. The studio develops for both linear networks and streaming platforms, with particular emphasis on Disney Entertainment Television outlets: Hulu, Disney+, and FX.
Is 20th Television currently active in the market?
Yes. The studio recorded 66 total signals over the past 12 months, with the latest activity logged in late September 2026. Recent moves include the renewal of Saladin Patterson's overall deal covering live-action and animation, a new overall deal with Rashad Raisani in October 2025, and the greenlight of King of the Hill Seasons 15 through 17 for Hulu. The studio's development pipeline within the Disney ecosystem remains active across multiple projects.
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