Charlie Brown the all American, manically depressed, football headed pre-teen will make his big screen return very soon and its been confirmed. Fox Animations Blue Sky Studios, the Connecticut based team behind the Ice Age films and Horton Hears a Who have unveiled the new Peanuts movie which will coincide with the 50th anniversary of the classic A Charlie Brown Christmas. 

News of a cinematic return for the Peanuts gang broke as early as last year but no word was released on whether the movie would be animated or live action. It is now known that Charlie Brown and his faithful but flaky dog Snoopy will in fact be transformed into CGI in keeping with the majority of modern day animations and in keeping with previous Blue Sky efforts will also be available in 3D so prepare to part with a few extra quid at the cinema folks. Charlie Brown has been a regular fixture in American culture since the much revered Charles Schulz comic strip debuted in October 1950.

Whether a 3D CGI version of the Peanuts story will have the same kind of lasting appeal remains to be seen but one has to wonder if the self-deprecating often whimsical style will translate as well beyond the classic hand drawn style of old. 

The release will coincide with the 50th anniversary of A Charlie Brown Christmas, which re-airs annually on ABC, and the 65th anniversary of the strip. Fox Animations Blue Sky Studios will handle the film. It was first announced in October 2012.The script has been written by Craig Schulz, the son of Charles Schulz along with his own son, Bryan Schulz and Cornelius Uliano. They are producing the film as well. Steve Martino is attached as a director.