Sony has acquired the majority stake in “Peanuts” from WildBrain for $457 million, the companies announced Thursday.
Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Linus and the rest of the Peanuts gang are now under Sony’s umbrella after the company acquired 41% of the rights previously held by WildBrain. Sony now owns 80% of the “Peanuts” rights.
“‘Peanuts’ is enduring and iconic,” Ravi Ahuja, president and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment, said. “We value the deep collaboration we have with our SMEJ colleagues and look forward to building on their meaningful partnership with WildBrain and the Schulz family. With our combined strengths, we have the unique capability and extraordinary opportunity to protect and shape the future of these beloved characters for generations to come.”
“We are deeply committed to carrying forward the legacy of Charles Schulz and the Schulz family,” Sony’s Shunsuke Muramatsu added.
“Sony has been an excellent partner on the ‘Peanuts’ brand for many years, and we’re confident that Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the gang are in good hands with them,” Josh Scherba, president and CEO of WildBrain, said of the deal. “We’d like to thank the Peanuts Worldwide team, as well as the Schulz family, for their incredible collaboration, and we look forward to working with them and Sony going forward to continue driving global success for ‘Peanuts.’”
The remaining 20% of the rights to the “Peanuts” characters remain with the family of creator Charles M. Schulz.
Schulz introduced the world to the “Peanuts” gang in their first comic strip in 1950, which debuted in seven newspapers. Since then, Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the “Peanuts” have left an incredible mark on popular culture—through new shows and specials on Apple TV as well as the enduring classics.
