Sony just made a sizable bet on nostalgia as it has reached a deal worth approximately $457 million to acquire majority ownership of Charles M. Schulz’s Peanuts franchise, bringing the iconic characters under its control.

Charlie Brown is nearly unrecognizable in the first strip, having a big oval head and no zig-zag on his shirt, but that would also be added soon after Peanuts debuted, showing up on December 21, 1950, according to the Charles M. Schulz Museum.

SANTA ROSA, Calif. — When A Charlie Brown Christmas first aired in 1965, it quickly became a holiday staple for families across the country. What many viewers didn’t know was how close the animated special came to missing Christmas altogether.

“They hated it,” producer Lee Mendelson recalled in a 2003 interview with the Archive of American Television. “The two top people just hated it. They said, it’s too slow and it’s very religious … and it’s not particularly funny.” At the time, the show’s producers even agreed.

Sony just purchased a controlling stake in the iconic brand featuring Snoopy, Charlie Brown, and more. It’s got Spider-Man, it’s got Slimer, and now Sony adds another powerful “S” to its slate: Snoopy. Yes, Sony now controls the Peanuts gang in yet another case of Hollywood acquisition mania.