Part 6/9:
The success was not to last, however. The sales of 20th Century Fox to Marvin Davis and Mark Rich in 1981 marked another period of instability. Legal troubles soon befell Rich, leaving Davis in the limelight but burdened with an underwhelming film slate. It felt paradoxical that the studio had a hand in birthing cultural phenomena like Star Wars and was still floundering financially.
By 1984, Rupert Murdoch acquired the majority of the company, turning 20th Century Fox into a critical piece of his media empire. This acquisition led to the expansion of the Fox brand, launching initiatives like the Fox Television Network and FX, ultimately revitalizing the movie studio while integrating it into a larger media vision.