PEANUTS to Return to the Big Screen

Note: I tried writing this article for GeekTyrant. They said no. I tried writing this article for WeGotThisCovered. They said no. Competitive writing is extremely stressful sometimes. Where they fail, you gain. Thanks - Zack

For over 50 years, the characters in Peanuts created by Charles M. Schultz have captivated children and adults of all ages with their witty humor, lovable nature and quirky behaviors. Television specials like "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" have become perennial classics around the holiday season. Four feature-length animated films were made with the characters - 1969's A Boy Named Charlie Brown, 1972's Snoopy, Come Home, 1977's Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown (often called the best and most-remembered of the four) and 1980's Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (and Don't Come Back!!). A popular off-Broadway show, "You're  A Good Man, Charlie Brown", is still performed around the world today. The characters have most recently begun to appear in Metlife commercials; Snoopy has been their long-time mascot, but until recently, had appeared alone in the commercials.

But now, the "Peanuts" gang are about to have their biggest media expansion to date. 20th Century Fox and Blue Sky Studios, the folks behind the Ice Age films, the Rio films, Robots, Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who and the upcoming Epic, have reached a deal with Charles M. Schultz's family. The son and grandson of Schultz, Craig and Brian, have co-written a script that will be directed by Steve Martino (Horton Hears  A Who, Ice Age: Continental Drift). The film will be released on November 25, 2015; five days after The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part II (great decision, Fox...).

With Blue Sky behind the animation, it's obvious the film will be in CG. I'm not sure how I feel about these characters being pulled into 3D, when for the past 50 years, they've been in 2D. Consider me cautiously optimistic. I'm just worried about who they'll get to do the voices of the characters. If, for some dark reason, Justin Bieber is cast as Charlie Brown, I will vehemently refuse to see it.