Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang have scored a new contract with Apple.
The iPhone-maker has reportedly struck a deal with DHX Media that will give Apple exclusive access to new Peanuts content, including TV shows and other original programming.
Adding Peanuts gives Apple another big win for its growing chest of original content. Along with developing a bevy original TV shows, the company has also signed deals with Oprah and Sesame Street to create original series and shorts films.
According to Deadline’s report, DHX Media will develop and produce original programs, including new series, specials and shorts based on the beloved characters created by Charles M. Schultz. Among the projects in development is an original short-form STEM content featuring Snoopy as an astronaut.
The Peanut characters first debuted in 1950 as a comic strip that was published in seven newspapers. They’ve gone on to become some of the most popular cartoon characters in the world. The recent Peanuts Movie grossed $130.2 million in North America and $116 million in other territories for a worldwide total of $246.2 million.
Apple supposedly plans to corner the market on squeaky-clean TV shows. Most of its shows are aimed at appealing to a wider, family-friendly audience. The company hasn’t officially announced its plans for a TV service, but experts expect Apple’s shows to start rolling out to iPhone, iPad and Apple TV owners in some way by 2019.
