Sony acquires iconic Peanuts franchise for $450M
What's the story
Sony has acquired a majority stake in the Peanuts franchise, including iconic characters like Snoopy and Charlie Brown. The Japanese entertainment giant will pay over $450 million for the deal, doubling its stake in Peanuts Holdings to 80%. The acquisition is from Canadian entertainment company WildBrain, which also owns brands like Teletubbies and Strawberry Shortcake.
Stake distribution
Schulz family retains minority stake in Peanuts Holdings
The family of Charles M. Schulz, the creator of Peanuts, will continue to hold a minority stake in Peanuts Holdings after Sony's acquisition. The deal comes after WildBrain acquired the Peanuts business in 2017 and sold a 39% stake to Sony a year later. Now, with this latest agreement, Sony's ownership has increased to an impressive 80%, valuing the business at over $1 billion.
Licensing agreement
Peanuts content to remain on Apple TV till 2030
Despite the Sony deal, fans can still enjoy Peanuts content on Apple TV for several more years. This is because Peanuts Holdings signed a licensing agreement with Apple TV, which was renewed in October through 2030. The animated film The Peanuts Movie, produced and distributed by 20th Century Fox in 2015, grossed over $200 million globally.
Franchise evolution
Journey from comic strips to global fame
Peanuts first appeared in American newspaper comic strips on October 2, 1950. It gave birth to an early global entertainment franchise which includes toys, films, as well as holiday specials.