Sneak peek: 'Peanuts' cracks big screen again

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 3/18/14 at 10:40am

Charlie Brown, his dog Snoopy and the rest of the gang return to the big screen in 'Peanuts,' opening Nov. 6, 2015.

Good grief! In fact, very good grief: Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang are taking another crack at the big screen.

The bald, round-headed kid, his dog Snoopy and the rest of the cast of Charles Schulz's beloved comic strip are already the stars of numerous TV specials, including holiday fare such as A Charlie Brown Christmas.

But producer Craig Schulz, one of Charles' sons, believes it's time for a new movie treatment with the animated Peanuts (due out Nov. 6, 2015). The last time Peanuts characters saw feature-length screen time was with 1980'sBon Voyage, Charlie Brown (and Don't Come Back!!).

"It's long overdue," says Schulz. "The fans have been asking for a long time, but we held off until the time was right."

The death of the creator in 2000, after a 50-year career of crafting the strip, further delayed any appearances at the cineplex. Craig Schulz says the family has vigilantly protected the integrity of the characters, leading to a cautious approach in taking on any project.

"I'm way more protective than my father would have been," says Schulz. "Our No. 1 goal was always to be authentic to his work and legacy."

Peanuts, which includes a screenplay from Craig's screenwriter son Bryan and his writing partner Cornelius Uliano, calmed any fears. "With my father's work this is three generation of Shulzes on this film," says Craig.

'Peanuts' Pic 2

Charlie Brown and Snoopy return to the silver screen in 'Peanuts.'(Photo: Blue Sky Studios)

Also winning approval was director Steve Martino (Ice Age: Continental Drift), who showed he could keep faithful to an iconic story with his 2008 adaptation of Dr. Seuss's Horton Hears a Who!

The filmmakers are keeping Peanuts' plot details under wraps ("it's about a round-headed kid and his dog, and that's about as far as I'm willing to go," says Craig). But the story will bring together the entire cast from the strips and Bill Melendez's famous television specials, from Pig-Pen to Peppermint Patty.

Additions include the unveiling of Charlie Brown's lifelong crush, known only as "the Little Red-Haired Girl." Martino is excited about exploring the Peanuts world with detailed animation ("We'll see that Snoopy has soft-white fur") and exploring traditionally imagined realms such as Snoopy's World War I fighter-pilot adventures.

"We're going to fly with Snoopy in his fantasy world," says Martino. "We have a bigger canvas. Bill Melendez got Snoopy off the ground in the TV specials. We're going to take it a step further."

Critics have balked at the notion of a 3-D film with computer-generated imagery for the classic characters. But Craig believes his father would have "embraced the technology."

"It would have been absolutely logical for him to have come onboard," he says. "And it brings you closer into the comic strip."

Producer Paul Feig calls the 3-D "effortless" and says everyone is working to ensure that the "sweet optimism" of the original material remains. "Snoopy will not be rapping, no one will be twerking, we're in good hands," he says.

For Martino, who has memories of reading the Sunday comic strip faithfully, the film and story will remain classic, focusing on Charlie Brown's perpetually positive attitude. He vows to bring this message into a new world, however cynical.

"Charlie Brown is the guy who picks himself up after every fall and tries again. That's what is powerful to me," says Martino. "These characters are known
and loved worldwide, and now we have an opportunity to bring them to a new generation."

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2014/03/17/peanuts-snoopy-charlie-brown-first-look/6273911/

I am so glad that they captured the heart and innocent of Peanuts, instead of ruining them like they did to the Smurfs, Scooby Doo etc. And the animation is stunning! Everyone looks so beautiful :) I can't wait

[best12bars]

Posted: 3/18/14 at 12:41pm

I don't like the look of them in 3D. They look like Macy's parade floats. Those characters were drawn with minimalistic lines. They don't look right with "realistic" depth and shading.

Updated On: 3/18/14 at 12:41 PM

[Addison D.]

Posted: 3/18/14 at 1:21pm

^^^Absolutely agreed.

The original line drawings cannot be improved upon.

ETA: I imagine that Craig Schultz feels the (perfectly understandable) desire to "protect" the value of the franchise at least as strongly as its integrity, and I suspect there is far more future revenue to be wrung out of generations of kids who expect 3D images than there is out of us rapidly-vanishing dinosaurs who actually see MORE emotion, more pathos, more depth in Snoopy's 2-dimensional eyes than in the "more realistic" CGI version.

Updated On: 3/18/14 at 01:21 PM

[finebydesign]

Posted: 3/18/14 at 1:50pm

I definitely feel like this is a better direction than I expected.. and it's nice to see a "different" design aesthetic applied but why couldn't they be brave enough to keep the line-art integrity?

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/18/14 at 1:51pm

Yeah, I have no real interest towards this, and completely agree about the CGI, but since the Peanuts were one of my first childhood obsessions, I am glad that it seems like Craig is at least careful to keep the tone low key and not make this like the Chipmunks, Smurfs, etc, movies (mind you it's a much bigger and more important property not to mess with, although I'm sure some European Smurf fans probably felt that way back with the Hanna Barbara adaptation in the 80s.)

[SNAFU]

Posted: 3/18/14 at 4:37pm

Seeing the trailer and the style of animation, even with the drawn action lines, redeems this idea for me a little bit. They aren't going super slick.

[Wildcard]

Posted: 3/18/14 at 5:18pm

I think it captures the spirit of the original cartoons and animation and updates it for today's audience. Sadly, I don't think kids today would fully support an animated movie done in traditional animation.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/18/14 at 5:25pm

I never fully buy that. My niece and nephew love all the classic Disney films, Studio Ghibli's more kid friendly films, other faves from my childhood like Last Unicorn, Secret of NIMH etc. They are 7 and 5, mind you, but don't seem to really have a preference for CGI or "hand drawn." But I know it's the current wisdom--what with Disney reopening and then immediately closing their hand drawn division when Princess and the Frog underperformed (no matter that the film, while some of it is charming and very well done, is pretty underwhelming in general.)

That said, I'm sure Craig Shultz is right that his dad wouldn't have minded the switch--but some of the animated shorts done while Charles was still supervising and even writing them were less than good near the end, so...

[best12bars]

Posted: 3/18/14 at 5:42pm

It's certainly not the first time "old school" has been given a 3D facelift. And I don't always object to it.

I loved seeing "The Wizard of Oz," redone in IMAX 3D, and I can still enjoy the original 2D any time I want.

There are also times where I see an "upgrade" to modernize a franchise and it just doesn't work for me. This is one of those times.

Maybe the story will be charming and humorous, and the magic of the classic characters will come through despite their balloonish exteriors. And maybe kids won't care if they look like a video game.

If it keeps Peanuts alive in pop culture, fine.

[finebydesign]

Posted: 3/18/14 at 5:44pm

"Sadly, I don't think kids today would fully support an animated movie done in traditional animation."

I disagree completely. Sponge Bob Square Pants is still getting fantastic ratings with 6-11 year old kids (1st Place). Studios are the ones that are nervous. If you have a good story with good characters it will resonate. Frozen proved that animated musicals still work despite years of the opposite.

I love what they trying here, I really wish the could push more with the line art.

*typo Updated On: 3/18/14 at 05:44 PM

[Mekroth]

Posted: 3/18/14 at 6:26pm

It looks like they're styling it after the Peanuts veiwmaster discs

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 9/28/14 at 12:13pm

After watching "She's a Good Skate, Charlie Brown", they really should get Jennifer Lawrence to voice Peppermint Patty.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/28/14 at 12:21pm

The funny part is them pretending Charles Schultz wouldn't have had Snoopy rapping.

I bet one Sunday strip would have been a single frame of Snoopy with gold chains and a dog bone medallion over the legend MC Joe Cool.

Also, I guess I was closer to Charles Schultz in temperament than the guys talking about how "positive" Charlie Brown's attitude is. I think CB was a depressed sort which was brought out by his realistic view of the world.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 9/28/14 at 1:33pm

This looks like ****e. Anything "updated for today's audience" is a sure-fire way to something underwhelming and forgettable.

Long live the TV specials!

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/28/14 at 1:43pm

I admit I'll give it a chance because I loved the ViewMaster reels when I was a kid.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 11/18/14 at 10:55am

Poor Charlie Brown! 1:32 to 1:38.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XmV3zGifOE

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 11/18/14 at 12:01pm

I think it looks good, even if the birds are a bit miniony.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 11/18/14 at 12:17pm

I think it looks good, too!

I loved the original, traditional line drawings, but think this evolution is natural and I'll look forward to a new chapter in the lives of these beloved characters.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 11/18/14 at 12:19pm

It looks great!

[NYadgal]

Posted: 11/18/14 at 1:25pm

I shared an article with a friend last night, because I'm very excited about how wonderful this could be.

I, for one, will look forward to it!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 11/18/14 at 2:11pm

I think it looks terrific.

We may be getting three terrific "rejuvenations" in time for this holiday season: Peter Pan, Sweeney Todd and Peanuts.

It make me feel (almost) like a kid again.

[darquegk]

Posted: 11/18/14 at 2:23pm

What's the new Sweeney Todd? I missed that story.

[bwaylyric]

Posted: 11/19/14 at 12:18am

I just hope they include Vince Guaraldi type music in this. I don't want to hear hip hop or a new version of Happiness possibly sung by Pharrell.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 11/19/14 at 1:49am

PJ, it's NEXT Xmas, 2015. Alas.

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 11/20/14 at 4:53pm

Does no-one here wonder why the backgrounds couldn't have been a little more original in concept, 3D or no? Take a look at THE BOXTROLLS, or Guillermo del Toro's THE BOOK OF LIFE, or the brilliant CORALINE or PARANORMAN of a couple years ago for ways to give brilliant design concepts to animated films.

How thrilling it might have been to get a Charles Schultz-ian take on Snoopy's yard or Eiffel Tower (even if in 3D) rather than the totally generic Hallmark-y view of those sets in the current preview. Rats!

Updated On: 11/20/14 at 04:53 PM