With nearly a decade gone since the iconic comic strip made its way to the big screen, Craig Schulz offers a hopeful response to the chances of a new Peanuts movie. After four movies produced in the late '60s and '70s, the franchise came back with The Peanuts Movie in 2015, which saw Charlie Brown trying to win the affection of the Little Red-Haired Girl and Snoopy writing a World War I epic about his Flying Ace persona, Red Baron. Though garnering rave reviews and a modest box office showing, a sequel never emerged.

In honor of the new Apple TV+ special, Snoopy Presents: One-of-a-Kind Marcie, Screen Rant spoke exclusively with Craig Schulz. When asked about the chances of getting a new Peanuts movie, the son of the franchise's creator was very hopeful in bringing the characters back to the big screen, confirming his own desire to get one made and that "nothing is off the table." See what Schulz shared below:

I could tell you, but I'd have to kill you. [Laughs] Nothing is off the table, we're always exploring different ideas and different things in this co-view series that we've done, which touched upon the environment, the love for teachers, Mother's Day, and how it interacts with enough people. All those subjects are just really fun, and as you know, the Peanuts universe is sort of endless. There are so many great characters to work with, there's so many great themes to work with that we explore everything, and I don't know that a movie is off the table. I would like to see one come back, but keep your fingers crossed, we will see.

Editor's Note: This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, and the movie covered here would not exist without the labor of the writers and actors in both unions.

Why Now Is Perfect For A New Peanuts Movie

Shortly after its release, Schulz's widow Jean was open to the idea of a sequel to The Peanuts Movie, though indicated she wouldn't rush any kind of project, noting how the 2015 movie took eight years to make, and as such she could revisit it after that amount of time. With eight years now gone since the movie came out and became Blue Sky Studios' first nomination at the Golden Globes after nearly 30 years, while also being snubbed by the Oscars, now seems like the perfect time for another big-screen outing.

Related: The 10 Best Blue Sky Studios Movies, Ranked According To IMDb

The Peanuts brand has enjoyed an acclaimed resurgence thanks to Apple TV+'s The Snoopy Show, which recently aired season 3, and retained the same wholesome nature of its source material and prior adaptations. The Snoopy Presents specials the streamer has produced have similarly resonated well with critics and audiences alike. Additionally, with streamers still yet to properly break out into the theatrical sphere outside of limited releases, something as well-known as the Peanuts could give Apple TV+ a step-up in the ongoing streamer wars should they produce it.

One of the biggest factors that will need to be considered for a new Peanuts movie is which animation house Schulz and his team turn to for the feature-length project. Following its acquisition of 20th Century Fox, Disney shut down Blue Sky Studios, resulting in the cancellation of a number of projects, including Nimona, which was later revived by Annapurna and Netflix. Given the unique blend of 3D and hand-drawn animation they brought to the franchise, one can hope they turn to a studio as inventive as Blue Sky for a new Peanuts movie.