New ‘Peanuts’ Special Will Explore Franklin’s Backstory

A new ‘Peanuts’ special will feature one of the franchise’s most popular characters. ‘Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin’ will showcase the backstory of Franklin Armstrong, the first black Peanuts character. The special will air on Apple TV+ on February 16th and will delve into Franklin’s past, particularly his frequent moves due to his father’s military affiliation. Franklin ultimately settles in another new town and the special will explore what happens next.

In the story, Franklin faces challenges in fitting in, but his luck changes after meeting Charlie Brown by chance. They become friends and decide to enter a soap box derby together. The trailer showcases Franklin’s struggles in making new friends, adapting to new environments, and dealing with racial issues as a black person in America. One of the memorable scenes in the trailer is when Charlie Brown asks Franklin about his music preferences, and Franklin replies, “The Godfather of Soul, James Brown. You two aren’t related, are you?” The scene highlights the innocence of childhood, as Franklin holds up a James Brown record and compares Charlie’s face to it.

‘Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin’ will debut on Apple TV+ on February 16th, but you can check out the trailer below: