Upfronts 2015: Fox Sets Fall Return for ‘Empire,’ Final Run for ‘American Idol’

Fox is not waiting long to return Empire to its schedule, setting the rookie breakout for a fall return.

Empire will remain the same timeslot Wednesdays at 9 p.m., airing behind rookie crime drama Rosewood. Fox’s fall schedule, which was unveiled Monday morning, features changes on five nights, including a completely revamped Tuesday slate.

After airing female-skewing comedies New Girl and The Mindy Project on the night for the past few seasons, Fox will go with male-skewing sitcoms in Rob Lowe’s The Grinder and John Stamos’ Grandfathered during the 8 p.m. hour. Ryan Murphy’s horror-comedy Scream Queens will follow at 9 p.m.

Batman prequel Gotham will get a new Monday companion with rookie drama MinorityReport, while Sleepy Hollow moves to Thursday, airing behind Bones. MasterChef Junior will return to Fridays where will it air with World’s Funniest Fails. Fox’s Sunday lineup will remain unchanged with The Simpsons, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Family Guy, Last Man on Earth and Bob’s Burgers.

For midseason, American Idol will return for its 15th and final season; Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban and Harry Connick Jr. will be back as judges. Fox said it is planning a season-long celebration of the show’s run. The network’s six-episode revival of The X-Files will launch out of January’s NFC Championship Game, before filling Gotham’s timeslot during its midseason break beginning Monday, Jan. 25.

New series being held until midseason include dramas The Frankenstein Code and Lucifer, as well as comedies Bordertown and Guide to Surviving Life, which will air alongside New Girl beginning in January. As previously announced, Fox will air a live production of Grease on Sunday, Jan. 31.

Fox will hold its upfront presentation Monday afternoon.

FOX FALL 2015 SCHEDULE

(All Times ET/PT)

MONDAY

8:00-9:00 PM                           GOTHAM
9:00-10:00 PM                         MINORITY REPORT (new)

TUESDAY

8:00-8:30 PM                           GRANDFATHERED (new)
8:30-9:00 PM                           THE GRINDER (new)
9:00-10:00 PM                         SCREAM QUEENS (new)

WEDNESDAY

8:00-9:00 PM                           ROSEWOOD (new)  
9:00-10:00 PM                         EMPIRE

THURSDAY

8:00-9:00 PM                           BONES
9:00-10:00 PM                         SLEEPY HOLLOW

FRIDAY

8:00-9:00 PM                           MASTERCHEF JUNIOR
9:00-10:00 PM                         WORLD’S FUNNIEST

SATURDAY

7:00-10:30 PM                         FOX SPORTS SATURDAY: FOX COLLEGE FOOTBALL

SUNDAY

7:00-7:30 PM                           NFL ON FOX
7:30-8:00 PM                           THE OT / BOB’S BURGERS
8:00-8:30 PM                           THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM                           BROOKLYN NINE-NINE
9:00-9:30 PM                           FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM                         THE LAST MAN ON EARTH