Snoopy lands on Santa’s naughty list in Apple TV’s new Peanuts Christmas special, while a feature film, Snoopy Unleashed, is also in production.
You know what they say: if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it. That’s where I find myself with Snoopy Presents: 12 Days of Snoopy, arriving November 13 on Apple TV. The premise is undeniably cute. While the rest of the Peanuts gang behaves, Snoopy finds himself on Santa’s naughty list and has 12 days to prove he deserves a place on the nice list. Honestly, it is hard to imagine a more believable bit of trouble for a beagle whose shenanigans are practically part of his job description. The special also comes with an unexpected musical lineup: John Legend, Kamasi Washington featuring Leon Bridges, and Laufey, with a score by Jeff Morrow. That certainly gives this little Christmas adventure some musical sparkle.
But I still have a soft spot for the original A Charlie Brown Christmas. Its quiet charm, gentle humour and unmistakable mood are difficult to reproduce, and I hope the steady stream of new Peanuts projects never makes the classic feel like just another title in a holiday content catalogue. This is not a remake, of course, and nobody is asking us to give up the original. Apple also has a feature film in production, Snoopy Unleashed, in which Snoopy runs away from home and Charlie Brown and the gang head into the Big City to bring him back. The film is planned for 2027 and promises a story about friendship in the spirit of Charles M. Schulz’s comic. So, another Christmas special, plus a new movie? I’m curious, even if I’m not entirely convinced we needed both. Will Snoopy get off Santa’s naughty list? We’ll find out November 13. #MTLcartoons #mtlpop #mtlblog