Peanuts producer Craig Schulz, son of creator Charles Schulz, says there have been discussions about potentially creating new Charlie Brown specials centered on Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
Speaking to ComicBook, Shultz noted that the existing specials focusing on these holidays are revered, which presents a few challenges. “In all those cases, it’s led to extensive conversations between myself, my son, our group here in Santa Rosa, which consists of over 20 people, and what we think is right or wrong,” Schulz explained. “And we have had ideas for a [Charlie Brown] Christmas special, but the three biggies – Christmas, Pumpkin, and Thanksgiving – are so sacrosanct, we just won’t touch anything near that.
Instead, the Peanuts team found ways to explore the fringes of these holidays to create new adventures. “We weren’t afraid to go on the edges, so we thought about that,” Shultz continued. “But we like the road we’re going down right now rather than just trying to play off something like that. So we’ll see where it ends up. New Year’s is a good example. We did [Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne], which is a play on New Year’s.”
Peanuts Specials Have Always Been Unique
New Year’s had been done probably at least twice in the past, in the animation specials,” Shultz added. “So it was a different take on that, and I think it added a lot of emotion that maybe the original one didn’t necessarily have. It was a good story, but I think we tried to bring emotion to it, and that’s what my son Brian just really, really hammers home. If there’s no emotion, let’s not do it. And he just drives it on every single line, basically, which is good.”
The latest Peanuts special, Snoopy Presents: One-of-a-Kind Marcie, focuses on the lovable introvert who is reluctantly thrust into the spotlight when she is unexpectedly elected as class president. Marcie struggles to cope with the expectations of her new job and shies away as far from the public eye. When the golf championship begins, she is still hiding, and Peppermint Patty is forced to tee off with Charlie Brown as her substitute caddie.
But after some advice and introspection, Marcie realizes she can still make a difference for her friends and the school. She’ll just have to ignore other people’s expectations and do things her own way. Fans can look forward to two other Peanuts originals. The series, Camp Snoopy, follows Snoopy and the Beagle Scouts on their summer escapades, and Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin explores the titular child’s origin story.
Snoopy Presents: One-of-a-Kind Marcie premieres on Apple TV+ on Aug 18.
Source: ComicBook