The biggest winner at the 91st Academy Awards was Disney

FREDERIC J. BROWN | AFP | Getty Images

Best Actor winner for ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ Rami Malek poses in the press room during the 91st Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on February 24, 2019.

The biggest winner of the 91st Academy Awards wasn’t the company with the most wins, but the one that stands to gain the most this time next year.

Disney hauled in four Oscar wins on Sunday, taking home historic trophies for best costume design and best production design as well as the prize for best animated short and best original score. While it was a good showing for the House of Mouse, the real bonus will come from its $71.3 billion acquisition of 21st Century Fox.

Fox owns a number of entertainment assets for both film and television, most of which will fall under the Disney banner before the end of the year. As part of the deal, Disney will acquire 20th Century Fox’s film and television divisions.

Fox will keep the Fox network, Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network, as well as several sports networks and local TV stations.

Owning the film arm of 20th Century Fox not only grants Disney a number of Marvel characters that had been sold off before it acquired Marvel in 2009, but also the powerhouse Fox Searchlight studio. Fox Searchlight is a sister company that operates independently from 20th Century Fox and has produced films like “The Shape of Water,” “Slumdog Millionaire,” “12 Years a Slave” and “Birdman,” all of which won best picture at the Oscars in the last decade.

Together 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight hauled in seven wins on Sunday, the most of any other company at the ceremony, including best actress and best actor, two of the most prestigious awards of the night.