Defunct Movies-themed channel in Southeast Asia
Television channel
Fox Movies (formerly Star Movies; and Fox Movies Premium) was a Southeast Asian movie network owned by Fox Networks Group Asia Pacific, subsidiaries of International Operations unit of The Walt Disney Company.
With the launch of Disney+ Hotstar/Disney+ across Asia, several first-run films from Disney-owned properties were removed in favour of re-runs, including Marvel films that were produced by other studios. Indonesian feed was the first to be affected from September 1, 2020, before Singapore and Malaysia from February 1, 2021. The change was affected in most of available feeds across Asia, before the channel shutdown that was announced.[1]
History
As Fox Movies Premium and Fox Movies
On 1 January 2012, Star Movies was rebranded to Fox Movies Premium and FOX Movies Premium HD,[2][3] available in Hong Kong and selected Southeast Asian countries. In India, China, Middle East and North Africa, Taiwan and the Philippines (SD only), the Star Movies brand remained.
On 10 June 2017, Fox Movies Premium in Southeast Asia & Star Movies in the Philippines, relaunched as Fox Movies, all coinciding the premiere of the 2016 film X-Men Apocalypse.[4][5]
On November 1, 2017, Star Movies Vietnam was rebranded as Fox Movies Vietnam.[6][7]
On January 18, 2018, Star Movies Taiwan was rebranded as Fox Movies Taiwan, yet Star Movies HD Taiwan remains the original name.
Fox Movies Asia
Fox Movies Asia (formerly known as Fox Movies Premium) was transmitted in Southeast Asia. It was the only advertisement free version of Fox Movies and, unlike other versions of Fox Movies, this version also spent minimal time promoting its own upcoming movies. The channel did not air promotions of movies classified as unsuitable for people aged under eighteen until 8 pm (or 9 pm for Malaysia). This channel broadcast 24 hours a day. 5.1 Dolby Surround sound was available and applicable on the HD channel.
Fox Movies Philippines
On June 10, 2017, in line with its Southeast Asian counterpart (Fox Movies Premium), Star Movies in the Philippines was rebranded as Fox Movies. Like its predecessor, it also has English subtitles daily, as well as local advertisements when the movie is taking a break (its HD counterpart, however, does not because of the HD channel formerly using its Asian feed (Fox Movies Premium) and Fox Movies Asia feed). The channel typically broadcasts action, comedy, animation and horror/suspense films every day and drama films on early morning.
On June 12, 2017, the HD channel was converted into Philippine feed during independence day of the Philippines while the Asia feed will continue to broadcast via live streaming on a subscription-based FOX+ which is available to Cignal, Globe, Smart and PLDT Home subscribers and with Chinese subtitles on their movies (along with Fox Family Movies and Fox Action Movies) which was later removed and replaced by Fox Sports including (2 & 3).
On January 1, 2020, FOX Movies Philippines, along with its Philippine-based operating channels: Fox Life, FOX, and National Geographic SD, were reverted to their main Southeast Asian feed. The channel started showing main feed plugs and retained the English subtitles on the movie after the revert, but this feed still initiates a local opt-out after a movie and a lesser ad break in the middle of the movie to accommodate local advertisements. The channel premieres major blockbuster films every Saturday while independent and low-budget films on Mondays and Thursdays.
Closures
After 27 years of broadcasting, Disney has announced that Fox Movies, along with other Disney-owned Fox channels across Southeast Asia and Hong Kong, to officially ceased on October 1, 2021.[1] FOX Movies on their official Facebook page has confirmed the news on August 15, 2021, few weeks before the closure of the channel.[citation needed]
Fox Movies Taiwan renamed as Star Movies Gold on January 1, 2022. It served as a sister channel for Star Movies HD,[8] until their closures on January 1, 2024.[9]
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