Sony Music Entertainment (SMEJ), Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) and WildBrain have signed a definitive agreement for SMEJ and SPE to indirectly acquire all of the approximately 41% stake ultimately held by WildBrain in Peanuts Holdings.
As a result of this transaction, SMEJ and SPE, together with SMEJ’s existing approximately 39% stake, will indirectly own 80% of Peanuts Holdings LLC, while the members of the family of Charles M. Schulz, the creator of PEANUTS, will continue to own the remaining 20%.
The ownership of rights to “PEANUTS” and the management of its business continue to be handled by Peanuts Worldwide LLC (PWW), a wholly owned subsidiary of Peanuts Holdings LLC.
Peanuts Holdings LLC, including PWW, will become a consolidated subsidiary of the Sony Group. SMEJ will take the lead in managing Peanuts Holdings LLC in partnership with SPE.
Since acquiring an interest in Peanuts Holdings LLC in 2018, SMEJ, as an IP owner of PEANUTS, recognized as world-class IP, has focused on expanding the PEANUTS IP business and strengthening the brand, while maintaining and further building a positive relationship with the Schulz family.
Peanuts, which first appeared as a comic strip in seven newspapers in 1950, has gone on to become a global household name, spawning toys, television specials, films and amusement park attractions.
The character of Snoopy has a long history in Japan and was one of the inspirations for Hello Kitty, the global phenomenon owned by Sanrio.
Shunsuke Muramatsu, President and Group CEO, Sony Music Entertainment (Japan), said, “Since 2018, SMEJ has been proud to be part of the partnership behind ‘PEANUTS’, an iconic global entertainment brand with a 75-year legacy of delighting audiences worldwide. With this additional ownership stake, we are thrilled to be able to further elevate the value of the ‘PEANUTS’ brand by drawing on the 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. Together with SPE, and backed by WildBrain’s continued partnership, we will continue to embrace new opportunities to ensure that ‘PEANUTS’ remains a relevant and beloved presence across generations—reaching new audiences and sharing the timeless charm of the ‘PEANUTS’ gang for years ahead.”
Ravi Ahuja, President and CEO, Sony Pictures Entertainment, said, “‘PEANUTS’ is enduring and iconic. We value the deep collaboration we have with our SMEJ colleagues and look forward to building on their meaningful partnership with WildBrain and the Schulz family. With our combined strengths, we have the unique capability and extraordinary opportunity to protect and shape the future of these beloved characters for generations to come.”
Josh Scherba, President and CEO, WildBrain, said, “Sony has been an excellent partner on the ‘PEANUTS’ brand for many years, and we’re confident that Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the gang are in good hands with them. We’d like to thank the Peanuts Worldwide team, as well as the Schulz family, for their incredible collaboration, and we look forward to working with them and Sony going forward to continue driving global success for ‘PEANUTS’.”
