Fox renews four animated series in major Disney TV Studios deal

Fox has committed to a wide-ranging animation renewal that keeps four of the network’s best-known comedies on the air for years to come.

According to the supplied Deadline report, Fox renewed The Simpsons, Family Guy and Bob’s Burgers for four additional seasons each and also brought American Dad! back to the network with a four-season order. The deal was described in the report as an unprecedented “4x4” arrangement with 20th Television Animation and Disney TV Studios.

The practical impact is long runway. The shows are set to continue through the 2028-29 broadcast season, giving Fox a stable animation block anchored by long-running titles that already form a central part of the network’s identity. The report says the arrangement had been in the works for months and that it reflects Fox’s position as a major linear home for adult animation.

The renewal terms are notable not only for duration but for structure. The report says the orders are for 15 episodes per season rather than the more traditional 22-episode broadcast order. That is still enough to count as a full season under current network practice, and it gives Fox flexibility in scheduling space for its other animated series.

American Dad!’s return is the most symbolic element of the package. The show originated on Fox in 2005 before moving to TBS in 2014. The new deal brings it back to the network after an 11-year break and places it alongside the other MacFarlane-era and Fox-era animation staples in the same block for the first time in more than a decade.

The story also points to how entertainment companies are using multi-platform economics to keep legacy animation profitable. Deadline reports that the Fox-Hulu agreement, including in-season streaming rights, helped clear the way for the new pact. That arrangement links the broadcast value of the shows to streaming revenue across Fox, Hulu and Disney’s broader distribution ecosystem.

The source says the renewal covers seasons 16 through 19 of Bob’s Burgers, seasons 24 through 27 of Family Guy, and seasons 37 through 40 of The Simpsons. Those numbers underline how deeply embedded the three series are in television history, with The Simpsons extending its run as the longest-running scripted primetime series.

The article also says the delay in announcing the deal was tied partly to talent negotiations, including disruptions from the Los Angeles fires. Fox executives quoted in the report framed the agreement as a durable partnership with Disney’s television arm. Marci Proietto of 20th Television Animation called the order “historic,” while Fox CEO Rob Wade emphasized the long-term value of the relationship.

The deal matters because it keeps Fox’s most recognizable animated franchises together in one place, preserves a reliable block of schedule-filling programming and signals that short-season network animation can still support blockbuster corporate deals when the brands are strong enough.

The deal also shows how legacy broadcast animation has become a long-term corporate asset rather than a short seasonal bet. Fox is not just keeping shows alive; it is buying schedule certainty and catalogue value while Disney keeps the library and streaming benefits flowing. That combination explains why a four-season order can make sense for both sides even when the episode count is lower than the old network standard.