Peter Debruge, who is not only a film critic for Variety — but the *chief international* film critic! — really wanted to see the animated Charlie Brown make out with a “non-white love interest” in the new Peanuts movie.

Alas, Debruge’s desires will go unfilled as the filmmakers refused to “modernize.”

The “Chief International Film Critic” for the entertainment site is disappointed the characters — created in 1950 — don’t reflect Debruge’s world view.

He writes:

Like most classic jokes, “Peanuts” isn’t so much funny as mildly amusing, which is evidently one of the many aspects of Schulz’s legacy that his son Craig and grandson Bryan fought to protect as screenwriters and producers on the film (presumably trumping their genuinely hilarious collaborator, Paul Feig, also credited as a producer alongside co-writer Cornelius Uliano).

But a little modernization wouldn’t have hurt, especially in the diversity department. While Franklin remains Charlie Brown’s only brown friend, a non-white love interest would have been as progressive as Schulz’s tomboyish depiction of Peppermint Patty was back in the day. (emphasis added)

Readers almost universally ridiculed Debrudge’s suggestion to turn the movie into a “progressive” statement.

“Not everything needs to change or have diversity. My god, what it with the PC obsession of today?” Marie writes on the Variety site.

“Me” says, “I’ve read many, many stupid comments in my life. To suggest an interracial romance – for absolutely no reason whatsoever – is perhaps the stupidest one yet.”

One commenter, who claims to be in an inter-racial relationship, writes, “Your suggestion that Charlie Brown fall for a different ethnicity while being a bold progressive move, would somehow seem totally out of place in this movie. The history of Charlie Brown has always been his infatuation with the redheaded girl and to have it any other way would have outraged those who are fans of his legacy. I am all for interracial relationships, since my wife and I are of different races, but not for Charlie Brown. I could see it with another character where a past history had not been established.”

Debruge responded to him, doubling down on his position, responding in part, “This is 2015, and there are mixed-race couples (and friendships) all around in real life, but “The Peanuts Movie” gives young audiences scant examples, preferring to stay wedged in the nearly segregated world of the ’50s, while throwing in a bad Flo Rida song for some sort of contemporary hipness quotient. I didn’t honestly expect the film to go that direction, but I do think it’s within a critic’s right/duty to raise such issues. ”

Here’s the trailer:

“Peanuts” will be released in theaters Friday, November 6.