Everyone has a favorite Easter candy and whether it's chocolate bunnies, Cadbury Creme Eggs, or any of the assorted-themed treats that make their way to shelves, there's something for everyone when the holiday rolls around each year. One of the most iconic candies of the season is undoubtedly the Peeps, a marshmallow Easter chick covered in sugar. Every year they make their way to supermarkets and fly off the shelves in a rush of holiday-fueled consumption.
Pretty soon, however, Peeps may be more than just a fun Easter candy. According to Deadline, producers Christine and Mark Holder of Wonder Street have acquired the rights to develop an animated film based on the Peeps license. The company has purchased the film and TV rights to the IP and is already working on a feature in the spirit of others children's animated films that have come out in recent years, including the recent Smurfs films.
It's an unusual acquisition, but it does make a certain amount of sense: Peeps are an incredibly popular candy, putting out over 2 billion of the marshmallow chicks every year while continuously expanding the line of merchandise and spin-off treats. Whether people love or hate them, almost everyone is familiar with the brand, and that may be why they were willing to bet big on the film rights.
As for the Peeps film itself, there have been some details about the project revealed, mainly a high-level summary of the plot. The story will reportedly follow a ragtag group of Peeps on a journey to attend Peepfest, an annual celebration held in Pennsylvania. So, it seems that in the broad strokes, the film will be a sort of road-trip story starring sentient Peeps instead of humans.
Just Born Inc., the company behind the candy, released a statement on the announcement, remarking: “We hope the new Peeps film spreads sweetness to families across the country and provides inspiration for fans to express their ‘Peepsonality’ in new ways.” Though the film is likely some ways out, it does seem as though both parties are committed to making the project a reality, and it's probably a safe bet to assume it will release during some future Easter holiday window.
While an entire feature film based around Easter candy is somewhat unusual, it's not the first brand to make its way from store shelves to the big screen. Indeed, the project is even being billed as a Trolls-meets-Smurfs kind of experience, indicating the project will take a lot of inspiration from other animated kid films. Until more information is revealed, Peeps fans will have to stick to the real candy remaining after this year's Easter celebrations.
Peeps is in development at Wonder Street.
Source: Deadline