As announced earlier this month, there's a new animated movie in development at Fox about Charles Schulz's perennially popular comic strip creation Charlie Brown. Taking a break from the R-rated likes of Bridesmaids and The Heat, it now transpires that Paul Feig will be producing and overseeing **Peanuts, which Steve Martino (Horton Hears A Who, Ice Age: Continental Drift) is directing.
The story is still under wraps, but the project has been kept in the Schulz family, with the screenplay written by his son Craig Schulz and grandson Bryan Schulz (along with Bryan's regular cohort Cornelius Uliano).
“We have been working on this project for years," says Craig. "We finally felt the time was right and the technology is where we need it to be to create... a Peanuts movie that is true to the strip and will continue the legacy in honour of my father. Collaborating with a talent like Paul is a great step forward. Knowing how Peanuts, especially Charlie Brown’s never-give-up-attitude, has influenced him throughout his life makes this partnership even more meaningful."
"Growing up, Peanuts was my Star Wars," Feig elaborates. "Charles Schulz’s characters influenced everything in my career, especially [Feige and Judd Apatow's teen comedy drama] Freaks And Geeks. I’m thrilled I finally get to be pals with Charlie Brown and Snoopy.”
The movie will coincide with Peanuts' 65th anniversary, arriving on screens – in the States, at least – on November 25, 2015. Feig's next gig as director will be spy comedy Susan Cooper, once again with Melissa McCarthy and, possibly, Jason Statham.