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Sony Strikes $457M Deal To Acquire Majority Stake In Peanuts Brand

bitbydeath

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Peanuts-group-.jpg

Article:
UPDATED with deal amount in U.S. dollars: Sony's Sony Music Entertainment Japan and U.S.-based Sony Pictures Entertainment said Thursday that they have signed an agreement with WildBrain to acquire the latter's 41% stake in Peanuts Holdings Llc, the holding company for the Charles M. Schulz-created cartoon franchise that includes Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the gang.

The deal is for CAN$630 million, Wildbrain said in a release announcing the deal. That is roughly $457 million U.S.

When the transaction is completed, Sony — which already owns approximately 39% of Peanuts Holdings after a 2018 acquisition — will own 80% of the company. The Schulz family will retain its current 20% stake.

Sony said Wednesday in announcing the deal that ownership of rights to Peanuts and the management of its business will continue to be handled by Peanuts Worldwide, a wholly owned subsidiary of Peanuts Holdings LLC. Peanuts Holdings and Peanuts Worldwide will become a consolidated subsidiary of the Sony Group, with Sony Music taking the lead in managing Peanuts Holdings in partnership with SPE.
 
Damn, $450M for that IP!?!?
If you asked me a week ago, I would have thought it was something anyone could afford if they saved up for a few weeks but just didn't want to.
 
Here I was thinking they were moving into snack foods.

"Get a free bag of KP dry roasted with every platinum trophy!"
 
I don't feel like Peanuts is worth a billion in 2025, but everything seems to be funny money these days.
They probably make a killing on t-shirts, Snoopy mugs and random greeting cards. It's one of the forever IP, which is what Sony buys all the time like their music investments.
 
So we can finally see Charlie commit seppuku after another failed attempt to kick the ball, at long last Snoopy kamikazes himself to take down that pesky Red Baron, Linus continues to obsess about the piano to the total exclusion of Lucy who is driven to become a hostess girl, and Woodstock ends up on a yakitori skewer.

Fitting.
 
When I was a kid I watched a few episodes, but I never became a fan.

I had no idea Snoopy was such a big deal until I dated a girl in her late 20s who was crazy about it and bought all kinds of stuff with those characters.
 
They should've bought Winnie the Pooh, but I'm bias. No that's not screen burn before anyone mentions it.
Winnie the Pooh is public domain now so anyone can use the original text/images. Of course Disney and it's army of lawyers is just waiting to pounce like a cocaine Tigger on anyone who gets even CLOSE to anything they did.
 
Eh...not sure this bodes too well for me at least.
I mean this IP doesnt scream like Sony...worries me they might do changes or move to live actions like Disney is doing.
 
I call dibs on this guy's dance

charlie brown animation GIF
Pigpen was always The Man. secretly smoking weed when the animators aren't looking, always chill and doing his own thing, including not showering and carrying a massive dust cloud with him, where ever he goes.
 
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I always feel bad for Charlie Brown. Fuck that bitch always pulling the football.

Charlie Brown will never ever kick the ball. From Google AI:

  • Schulz's Intent: Charles Schulz never intended for Charlie Brown to successfully kick the football in the main comic strip. He explained that having him succeed would mean "the foundation collapses" and would be a "disservice" to the character's enduring struggle and optimism in the face of repeated failure. The gag was inspired by a childhood memory of his own.
 
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