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20th Television Animation

20th Television Animation is a Disney Television Studios production company developing and producing animated series and films for teens and adults, currently consolidating under the Disney umbrella with a planned move to the Burbank lot.

Current mandate

20th Television Animation operates as a standalone unit within Disney Television Studios, focusing exclusively on animated content aimed at teens and adults. That positioning distinguishes it from its sister studio, Disney Television Animation, which targets younger audiences. The company specializes in animation pre-production and post-production, subcontracting the frame-by-frame production work to third-party animation houses. Since being relaunched as a standalone unit in December 2020 and formally renamed in September 2020, the studio has operated under the leadership of president Marci Proietto, who was appointed in March 2021. A formal collaboration with Disney Television Animation, announced in March 2022, added a young-adult animated series, miniseries, and film pipeline specifically for Disney+, broadening the studio's distribution reach within the Disney ecosystem.

On the development side, the studio's recent activity includes a multi-year overall deal with writers Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit, announced in January 2023. The studio assumed executive supervision of all animated projects previously overseen by 20th Television following its relaunch, giving it a broad mandate across the adult animation space. Most of its active slate is developed in-house and then handed off to subcontracted animation studios for production, a model that keeps the company lean on production overhead while maintaining creative control at the development and post-production stages.

Access to 20th Television Animation runs primarily through established representation and existing industry relationships. The studio's overall deal structure, as evidenced by the Hernandez and Samit pact, suggests that writer-producers with strong track records in animation or live-action comedy are the most likely entry point. A pending physical relocation from the Fox Studio Lot in Century City to Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, expected by the end of 2025, signals further operational integration with Disney, which may affect how projects are routed and greenlit going forward.

Signature peaks

  • Teens + Adults Studio Focus — Distinct from Disney Television Animation's children-targeted mandate
  • Marci Proietto Leadership — Named president in March 2021
  • Since March 2022 Disney+ Collaboration — Young adult animated series, miniseries, and films for Disney+

Mandate dimensions

Genre focus
science fiction, action
Territory focus
Not disclosed
Budget tier (observed)
Not disclosed
Access pattern
Access runs primarily through established talent representation, with the studio's overall deal structure favoring writer-producers who have existing agency or management relationships. The pending relocation to Walt Disney Studios in Burbank may shift internal routing and contact protocols before the end of 2025.
Deal structure
The studio structures its writer relationships through multi-year overall deals, as evidenced by the January 2023 pact with Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit; project budgets on these arrangements are not publicly disclosed.

Recent productions and projects

  • Multi-year overall deal with Dan Hernandez & Benji Samit

    January 9, 2023 · Acquired

Market context

With a formal Disney+ collaboration mandate and a physical move to Walt Disney Studios underway, 20th Television Animation is deepening its integration into the broader Disney ecosystem while keeping its adult-skewing identity intact.

20th Television Animation operates as a standalone unit within Disney Television Studios, focusing exclusively on animated content aimed at teens and adults. That positioning distinguishes it from its sister studio, Disney Television Animation, which targets younger audiences. The company specializes in animation pre-production and post-production, subcontracting the frame-by-frame production work to third-party animation houses. Since being relaunched as a standalone unit in December 2020 and formally renamed in September 2020, the studio has operated under the leadership of president Marci Proietto, who was appointed in March 2021. A formal collaboration with Disney Television Animation, announced in March 2022, added a young-adult animated series, miniseries, and film pipeline specifically for Disney+, broadening the studio's distribution reach within the Disney ecosystem.

Common questions about 20th Television Animation

Does 20th Television Animation accept unsolicited scripts?

There is no public indication that 20th Television Animation accepts unsolicited scripts. Like most Disney Television Studios units, the company works through established agency representation and existing industry relationships. The studio's recent deal activity, including a multi-year overall deal with Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit, suggests it builds its slate through formal writer partnerships rather than open submissions. Writers without representation should focus on securing agency or management before approaching the studio.

How does 20th Television Animation develop and attach to projects?

The studio specializes in animation pre-production and post-production, developing projects in-house and subcontracting frame-by-frame production to third-party animation companies. It attaches to projects primarily through overall deals with writer-producers, as seen with the Hernandez and Samit multi-year pact announced in January 2023. The studio also collaborates with Disney Television Animation on young adult animated content for Disney+, meaning some projects may be co-developed across both units.

What is 20th Television Animation currently producing?

The studio oversees all animated projects previously developed under 20th Television, with a mandate focused on teen and adult-skewing animation. It has an active collaboration with Disney Television Animation for young adult animated series, miniseries, and films destined for Disney+, announced in March 2022. Specific titles currently in production have not been publicly detailed in recent trade coverage, but the studio's overall deal with Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit points to active development work in the writer-driven animation space.

Who are the key creative leaders at 20th Television Animation?

Marci Proietto serves as president of 20th Television Animation, a role she has held since March 2021. The studio tracks seven decision makers according to recent intelligence data, though individual titles beyond Proietto have not been detailed in available trade coverage. The studio operates as a standalone unit within Disney Television Studios, meaning creative decisions are made at the studio level while broader distribution and platform strategy aligns with Disney's wider priorities.

How do I get my animated project in front of 20th Television Animation?

The most viable path is through a talent agency or management company with an existing relationship at the studio. 20th Television Animation's deal-making pattern, including multi-year overall deals with established writer-producers, indicates the studio prioritizes relationships with proven animation or live-action comedy talent. Writers and producers should note that the studio is relocating from the Fox Studio Lot in Century City to Walt Disney Studios in Burbank by the end of 2025, which may affect contact protocols during the transition.

Is 20th Television Animation currently active and taking new projects?

Yes. The studio remains active, with recent intelligence signals as current as March 2025 and a confirmed collaboration with Disney Television Animation for Disney+ content that is ongoing. The April 2025 announcement of a physical relocation to Walt Disney Studios in Burbank by end of 2025 reflects continued operational investment. Deal velocity in the most recent 30-day window is low, which is consistent with a studio in a transitional period, but the broader 12-month record shows sustained activity.

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