'Peanuts' picture heading to theaters

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NEW YORK, Oct. 9 (UPI) -- Snoopy, Charlie Brown and the rest of the Peanuts gang will be featured in a new animated film to hit U.S. theaters in 2015, Iconix Brand Group said Tuesday.

The movie's release will be timed to the 65th anniversary of the debut of the late Charles Schulz's classic comic strip and the 50th anniversary of the landmark television special, "A Charlie Brown Christmas."

The as-yet-untitled animated movie is to be released Nov. 25, 2015. It has been written and will be produced by Craig Schulz, son of Charles Schulz, along with his own son, Bryan Schulz, and Cornelius Uliano.

Twentieth Century Fox and Blue Sky Studios have been chosen by the Schulz family to distribute, produce and animate the new Peanuts movie, which Steve Martino will direct. His previous credits include "Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!" and "Ice Age: Continental Drift."

"We have been working on this project for years,"

Craig Schulz, president of Charles M. Schulz Creative Associates, said in a statement. "We finally felt the time was right and the technology is where we need it to be to create this film. I am thrilled we will be partnering with Blue Sky/Fox to create a Peanuts movie that is true to the strip and will continue the legacy in honor of my father."

"We are thrilled to partner with the Schulz family and Iconix and honored to bring the Peanuts characters to the big screen," said Vanessa Morrison, president of Twentieth Century Fox Animation. "This all started with our love and respect for the work of Charles Schulz. We thank the Schulz family and Iconix for letting Fox and Blue Sky bring his vision to new generations of film goers."