“Following what was described as a highly competitive bidding situation, Apple and its forthcoming originals operation has landed the rights to new Peanuts content,” Michael O’Connell reports for The Hollywood Reporter. “The tech giant, which has not-so-quietly been amassing a strong roster of talent and original productions that is slated to start rolling out in 2019, has completed a deal with DHX Media to create series, specials and shorts featuring iconic Charles M. Schulz characters such as Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the entire Peanuts gang.”
“DHX, the Canadian-based kids programming giant that acquired a stake in the Peanuts franchise in 2017, will produce all of the projects,” O’Connell reports. “As part of the partnership, DHX Media also will produce original short-form STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) content that will be exclusive to Apple and feature astronaut Snoopy. DHX Media will be working closely with subsidiary Peanuts Worldwide on all efforts.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Huge Q Score (94%). Global reach. beloved brands. Another big win for Apple – and for Peanuts Worldwide!
Hook ’em on the Apple ecosystem while they’re young, we always say. 😉
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Fred Mertz” and “Arline M.” for the heads up.]
Not that there’s anything wrong with Peanuts (not yet, anyway – will they SJW it to death and make Charles Schultz roll in his grave?), the more I hear about Apple’s plans, the more I really, really think Silicon Valley should have kept their noses out of it. I have zero intentions of taking advantage of Eddie Cue’s delusions of grandeur. I know I’m in the minority, and it’s sad. American culture is in a death spiral.
First ‘gay’ Peanuts character announcement in 3…2…
… Peppermint Patty?
Gay? That’s so 2016. I say a genderless peanut in 3 ..2…1….
Yah, my thought exactly.
A new liberalized Lucy will sue the local bigoted church until they must marry her two Mom’s…
I sure hope Apple doesn’t screw this up, but I can only guess odds will be high…
To be more in line with real peanuts perhaps the first “hermaphrodite” peanuts character could be introduced, since peanut plants are hermaphrodites, though that might shake the narrow fragile view most humans have of sex.
Cue anti-gay snark in 3…2… Oh, wait. It already happened.
You people do know that Apple isn’t creating anything right? Apple is funding talented people who will create the content. Apple isn’t going to have editors going through every show making changes. That isn’t how this works dummies.
No, just the vocal minority.
Uh, yes, they are.
Apparently you haven’t been watching Tim Cook’s ‘anti-hate tour where yeah, he considers speech and views contradictory to His Majesty’s a violation of service contracts.
Every show will have to meet Apple’s ‘inclusive’ guidelines — or else!
Um… yes. Yes it is how this works. Apple isn’t giving out grants to artists and filmmakers. They’re programming a channel.
Programming a channel, yes. Embedding Apple editors into every show to make changes? Nope. Not going to happen. The creatives will walk if Apple even tries to do that. You trolls never cease to amaze. One minute Apple is an evil genius, the next minute Apple is a stumbling idiot.
You’re not understanding the model. Apple owns the programs. They are produced BY Apple (in most cases, in partnership with another entity). There will be an Apple EP & one or more Apple Producers on every one of these programs, and yes, they will have final creative cut.
Same model as Netflix, Amazon, etc.
It’s the same as the broadcast TV model — the network has approval over all scripts and final product.
Both Netflix and Amazon aren’t stupid enough to assert onerous editorial or creative control. That’s why the model works. You’re assuming Apple is stupid enough to assert onerous editorial and creative control. I don’t buy it.
Good Grief!
Will not watch the new Peanuts.
Grew up on Peanuts, I bought the paperback books of the comics. Great stuff.
But the new episodes will be “modern,” and they will kill the charm of the original.
Apple, please stop re-booting the classics. You never cared about them the first time, did you?
Yup.
The kookology brigade has already been complaining about Franklin not being treated equally to the other characters because he’s black.
They’re going to want an illegal alien peanut, a Muslim peanut…
Everything animated since the original Peanuts holiday specials has been a let-down by comparison. But don’t fool yourself into thinking this is new. Peanuts has been making animated TV specials right along. Some have been worse than others.
For look-and-feel, the graphic blandishment technique that so characteristically defined the original stuff has gone the way of the dodo, I’m afraid, so everything feels shiny and wrong through that lens.
Instead of Lucy yanking away the football it will be Genderless George yanking away the new MacPro, over and over.
I’m still waiting to see Calvin & Hobbes on the big or small screen, along with Spaceman Spiff. sigh