The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants

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The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants
Search for SquarePants poster.jpg
Teaser poster
Directed by Derek Drymon
Screenplay by
Story by
Based on SpongeBob SquarePants
by Stephen Hillenburg
Produced by
  • Lisa Stewart
  • Pam Brady
  • Aaron Dem
Starring
Cinematography Peter Lyons Collister
Edited byWyatt Jones
Music by John Debney
Production
companies
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release dates
  • October 26, 2025 (2025-10-26)(AFI Film Festival)
  • December 19, 2025 (2025-12-19)(United States)
Running time
88 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants is an upcoming American animated adventure comedy film based on the SpongeBob SquarePants television series, created by Stephen Hillenburg. The film is directed by series veteran Derek Drymon and stars the show's regular voice cast alongside George Lopez, Ice Spice, Arturo Castro, Sherry Cola, Regina Hall, and Mark Hamill. The plot follows SpongeBob as he travels to the depths of the ocean to face off against the Flying Dutchman. It is the fourth theatrical film based on the series, following 2020's Sponge on the Run .

Contents

The film was written by Pam Brady and Matt Lieberman, from a story by Brady and series creatives Marc Ceccarelli and Kaz. Development on a fourth main SpongeBob film had begun by February 2022. By April 2023, Drymon had been hired to direct the film. In July 2024, Hamill was revealed to be voicing the Flying Dutchman in the film in place of Brian Doyle-Murray. John Debney composed the film's score, after having scored the second film.

The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants is scheduled to premiere at the AFI Film Festival on October 26, 2025, before being theatrically released by Paramount Pictures in the United States on December 19, 2025.

Premise

Desperate to become a "big guy", SpongeBob, setting out to prove his bravery to Mr. Krabs, travels to the deepest depths of the ocean to follow the Flying Dutchman. [2]

Voice cast

Production

Development

A fourth theatrical SpongeBob SquarePants film was officially confirmed to be in development in February 2022. [6] In April 2023, during Paramount Pictures' CinemaCon panel, it was announced that the film would be titled The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, with series veteran Derek Drymon set to direct the film. [7] The screenplay was written by Pam Brady and Matt Lieberman, with a story by Marc Ceccarelli, Kaz, and Brady. [8] Brady, Lisa Stewart, and Aaron Dem serve as producers. [9] [8] Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Movies produce, in association with Domain Entertainment and MRC. [4] [8]

In April 2024, it was reported that the show's regular voice cast of Tom Kenny, Clancy Brown, Rodger Bumpass, Bill Fagerbakke, Carolyn Lawrence, and Mr. Lawrence would reprise their roles. [3] At San Diego Comic-Con in July 2024, it was announced that Mark Hamill was voicing the Flying Dutchman, in place of his long-time voice actor Brian Doyle-Murray from the series. [5] [10] In June 2025 at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, it was announced that Regina Hall, Sherry Cola, Arturo Castro, George Lopez, and Ice Spice were cast in the film. [4]

Music

In April 2025, it was reported that John Debney would compose the film's score, after having previously composed the score for The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water (2015). [11] In June 2025, alongside her casting, it was revealed that Ice Spice would contribute an original song to the soundtrack. [4]

Release

The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants will have its world premiere on October 26, 2025, as one of the closing films of the AFI Film Festival [2] and is scheduled to be theatrically released by Paramount Pictures in the United States on December 19, 2025. [12] The film will be accompanied by an animated short film, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Chrome Alone 2 – Lost in New Jersey . [13] It was previously scheduled for May 23, 2025, [14] but was pushed back to December 19, 2025, with Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning taking the May 2025 slot due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. [12]

References

  1. ↑ "THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SEARCH FOR SQUAREPANTS". AFI Fest . Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  2. 1 2 D'Alessandro, Anthony (September 18, 2025). "'SpongeBob Movie: Search For Squarepants' Sets World Premiere At AFI Fest". Deadline. Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Gardner, Chris (April 11, 2024). "'The Smurfs Movie' Sets Starry Cast to Join Rihanna; Dave Bautista, Eric Nam Board 'Airbender' Franchise". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on April 11, 2024. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Goodfellow, Melanie (June 10, 2025). "Regina Hall, Sherry Cola, Arturo Castro, George Lopez & Ice Spice Join Cast Of 'The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants' As Paramount Premieres Opening Act & 'Smurfs' Footage – Annecy". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on June 10, 2025. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  5. 1 2 Stephan, Katcy (July 25, 2024). "Mark Hamill Joins The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants as The Flying Dutchman". Variety . Archived from the original on July 26, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  6. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 15, 2022). "SpongeBob Universe Expands With Three Paramount+ Spinoff Movies, New Theatrical Film". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on February 17, 2022. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  7. ↑ Welk, Brian (April 27, 2023). "Paramount Gets Animated with CinemaCon Presentation". IndieWire . Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 Milligan, Mercedes (July 9, 2025). "Are Ye Ready, Kids? 'The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants' Teaser Trailer Sets Sail". Animation Magazine . Archived from the original on July 10, 2025. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
  9. ↑ "CinemaCon: Paramount Updates 'Last Airbender' Movie Title". Animation Magazine . April 3, 2025. Archived from the original on April 4, 2025. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  10. ↑ Sherlock, Ben (July 25, 2024). "Mark Hamill's New SpongeBob SquarePants Movie Role Reveals OG Character Has Been Recast After 25 Years". Screen Rant . Archived from the original on July 26, 2024. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  11. ↑ "John Debney Scoring Derek Drymon's 'The SpongeBob Movie: Search for Squarepants'". Film Music Reporter. April 15, 2025. Archived from the original on April 19, 2025. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
  12. 1 2 D'Alessandro, Anthony (October 23, 2023). "Mission: Impossible 8 Jumps To 2025; A Quiet Place: Day One Goes To Summer In 2024 Theatrical Shake-Up Due To Actors Strike". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on November 2, 2023. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  13. ↑ Roxborough, Scott (June 10, 2025). "Regina Hall, Ice Spice Join New 'SpongeBob' Movie". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on June 10, 2025. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  14. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 10, 2022). "Paramount Sets Dates For New SpongeBob & Aang Avatar Animated Movies". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
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