The Globe and Mail reports in its Saturday edition that Toronto entertainment company Wildbrain is selling its 41-per-cent stake in the Peanuts franchise to Sony for $630-million, giving the Japanese conglomerate control of Charlie Brown and his friends while cutting the Canadian company's debt. The Globe's Josh O'Kane writes that Snoopy, Linus, Lucy and the crew became incidentally Canadian in 2017 when Wildbrain, under previous name DHX Media, bought 80 per cent of Peanuts Worldwide LLC as part of the $345-million (U.S.) purchase of Iconix Brand Group's entertainment unit. The next year, Sony snapped up 39 per cent of Peanuts from the Canadian company. The latest transaction, which is in cash, brings the combined stake of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) and Sony Pictures Entertainment to 80 per cent -- with the family of Peanuts creator Charles Schulz holding on to 20 per cent of the brand. Wildbrain says that parting with some of the world's most recognizable characters is financially sound, helping it fully repay a line of credit while leaving more than $40-million in surplus. This, it says, will be reinvested in franchises such as Strawberry Shortcake and Teletubbies, and in offering more premium digital content.