Paul Feig to bring his understanding of freaks and geeks to producing Peanuts movie

By Sean O'Neal  |  October 23, 2013 | 9:19pm
Aux Features Film

Acknowledging that perhaps an audience will expect more from its new Peanuts movie besides just the most advanced animation technology has to offer, Fox has brought in a producer who maybe also understands the strip's sensibilities, which computers are still years away from replicating. It’s Paul Feig, whose first-look deal with Fox was ostensibly signed so he could make some more R-rated female comedy cash, but who also has a deep personal affection for Charles Schulz's beloved creation that makes him well suited for the role.

“Growing up, Peanuts was my Star Wars,” Feig tells Deadline. “Charles Schulz’s characters influenced everything in my career, especially Freaks And Geeks.” It's a not-at-all surprising revelation, considering Charlie Brown and the gang similarly existed in their own self-contained world, the massive swelling of fluid accumulating in their brains—which caused them to have frequent hallucinations involving animals and reduced all adult speech to watery gibberish—forcing them to be isolated from the rest of normal society.

Anyway, Feig will lend that empathetic understanding to the project, which has a Nov. 6, 2015 release date under Ice Age: Continental Drift director Steve Martino, as well as—and we’re just guessing here—at least a decent chance now that Melissa McCarthy could voice Peppermint Patty.

 
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