Disney TV's massive lineup for San Diego Comic-Con 2019 features a lot of Fox television shows. Disney began showing interest in buying 20th Century Fox as early as 2017, but it took several years of tedious complications and legal challenges for the deal to happen. However in March, Fox completed its distribution of shares, more or less making the acquisition complete.
Now that Disney owns Fox, it also means it owns Fox properties, in particular, some of the most popular shows on TV. This includes series on the Fox network, such as The Simpsons, whose showrunner Al Jean celebrated the deal by tweeting an image of Homer Simpson strangling Mickey Mouse, showing that in spite of the new ownership, the series wouldn't stop doing what it does best: challenging the powers that be.
Disney, though, has embraced ownership of its newly acquired properties and plans on putting them on display at SDCC 2019. Much of Disney's line-up for the event includes Fox television shows. On Friday, July 19 at 11 a.m., the new Fox series Bless The Harts, which stars Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Jillian Bell and Ike Barinholtz, arrives in the Indigo Ballroom. The Indigo Ballroom will also host a panel for Solar Opposites, the new series from the minds behind Rick & Morty, at 3 p.m. A Bob's Burgers panel follows in the Indigo Ballroom at 4 p.m. with What Just Happened??! With Fred Savage at 5:30 p.m in Room 6DE. The world premiere of NeXt, a sci-fi thriller about a rogue artificial intelligence, happens at 6:45 p.m. in Room 6DE.
Saturday, July 20 brings even more Fox TV shows to SDCC panels. The Simpsons, who will also make its first appearance at D23 2019, will have an SDCC panel in Ballroom 20 at noon: fans can expect details about the new season, as well as some freebies. American Dad and Family Guy team up for a panel after that in the same room at 1 p.m. Seth MacFarlane's hit sci-fi series The Orville, which just received a season 3 renewal, takes the stage in Ballroom 20 at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, July 21 brings The Mayans M.C., Fox's Sons of Anarchy spin-off, to Hall H at 1 p.m.
It seems like Disney has plans to commit itself to promote Fox programming, along with the company's existing properties. Fox TV will have a massive presence at SDCC, which won't just include panels, but also will rotate producers and stars at booths on the convention floor for autograph signings. Fans will also have access to exclusive posters and giveaways. For those previously concerned about how Disney might treat Fox TV programming, it seems they have nothing to fear since Disney wants those shows to continue to succeed.