Sony has secured a £340 million deal to take full control of the iconic Peanuts franchise, home to beloved characters like Snoopy and Charlie Brown. This move marks a significant expansion of Sony's entertainment empire, which already encompasses film, television, music, gaming, and electronics. The Japanese conglomerate has acquired a 41% stake in Peanuts Holdings, the company that owns the intellectual property created by Charles Schulz, from the Canadian children's entertainment firm WildBrain. This brings Sony's total ownership to 80%, with the Schulz family retaining the remaining 20%.
The Peanuts franchise, which began as a comic strip in 1950 and ran daily until Schulz's death in 2000, has become a global phenomenon spanning TV, toys, films, and theme park attractions. Apple TV recently extended its deal to become the exclusive streaming home for Peanuts until 2030, with plans to produce a new animated feature film featuring Snoopy and Charlie Brown. The Peanuts Movie, released in 2015, was produced by 20th Century Fox Animation and Blue Sky Studios.
Sony's entertainment division has been on a roll, achieving success with the TV series The Last of Us, adapted from a popular PlayStation game. In the UK, Sony owns or has majority control of TV production companies behind popular series like Downton Abbey, Outlander, Industry, and His Dark Materials. Sony's film studio, Sony Pictures, is behind franchises such as Spider-Man and Venom, and Sony Music is home to global artists including Beyoncé, Adele, and Pink Floyd.
Shunsuke Muramatsu, the chief executive of Sony Music Entertainment, expressed excitement about the deal, stating, 'With this additional ownership stake, we are thrilled to be able to further elevate the value of the Peanuts brand by drawing on Sony Group’s extensive global network and collective expertise. We are deeply committed to carrying forward the legacy of Charles Schulz and the Schulz family.'
Despite the acquisition, WildBrain will continue to handle licensing, production, and distribution for the Peanuts franchise under a multi-year service arrangement with Sony. WildBrain acquired its 80% stake in the Peanuts franchise in 2017 and also owns intellectual property rights to other popular franchises like Strawberry Shortcake, Teletubbies, Degrassi, and Inspector Gadget.
