Sony has acquired a majority stake in the iconic Peanuts comic franchise, purchasing an additional 41% from Canada’s WildBrain for $457 million. This transaction brings Sony’s total ownership in Peanuts Holdings LLC to 80%, with the Schulz family retaining the remaining 20%.

The agreement, announced on December 19, 2025, strengthens Sony’s position in the beloved brand, which features classic characters such as Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, and Peppermint Patty. The deal was finalized through Sony’s music and movie divisions, which signed a definitive agreement with WildBrain to acquire its remaining stake for 630 million Canadian dollars.

Shunsuke Muramatsu, President of Sony Music Entertainment, commented, “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.”

Created by Charles M. Schulz, “Peanuts” debuted on October 2, 1950, in seven newspapers and eventually appeared in over 2,600 publications across 75 countries. The comic strip’s memorable moments and phrases—such as Charlie Brown’s attempts to kick a football, Lucy’s advice booth, and Snoopy’s imaginative adventures—have become part of popular culture worldwide. Schulz passed away in 2000.

Sony first acquired a 39% stake in Peanuts Holdings in 2018 from WildBrain, a Toronto-based company that also owns other children’s entertainment properties like Strawberry Shortcake and Teletubbies. The rights and management of the Peanuts brand are overseen by a wholly-owned subsidiary of Peanuts Holdings.

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