Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies have released the first poster for The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, ahead of the debut of the official trailer for the fourth SpongeBob SquarePants theatrical movie on Wednesday, July 9!
About The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants:
Slated for release in theaters on Friday, December 19, the film will see SpongeBob get entangled with the Flying Dutchman (voiced by Mark Hamill).
Paramount and Nickelodeon recently shared exclusive footage of the “first act” from the movie at Annecy 2025, which sets the scene for SpongeBob’s latest adventure, in which SpongeBob finally grows tall enough to ride a rollercoaster but backs out at the last moment, only to be pulled into an even scarier pirate adventure with the Flying Dutchman. He then signs away his fate and plunges into the Underworld.
After he reaches the height of 36 clams, SpongeBob is allowed into the big people’s fairground park.
There he bumps into Mr. Krabs, who tells him that there is more to being grown up than height and regales him with a tale of his adventures at sea.
SpongeBob hits on the idea of getting his swashbuckler certificate but in the process, he unwittingly summons the spirit of the Flying Dutchman.
The evil pirate, voiced by Mark Hamill, abducts SpongeBob and Patrick Star with the aim of using them to break a curse on his back.
The sneak peek was introduced by director Derek Drymon, a SpongeBob veteran who has worked on the beloved franchise on and off for more than two decades and returned to the franchise after co-directing Hotel Transylvania 4 in 2022.
“It’s like coming home,” he said, before giving a behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming SpongeBob film, talking the Annecy audience through the artwork for the “spooky” underwater setting of the latest installment.
“We wanted to recapture the spirit of the first season,” added Drymon. “I’m so thankful to Paramount for backing a creator-led project. What wins the day is being a kid, and that’s what we infused in this feature.”
Blending 3D animation with cutting-edge 2D, this visually dynamic installment follows in the stylistic footsteps of The Mitchells vs. the Machines and Spider-Verse.
Who's In The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants?
The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants will feature a mix of familiar voices as well as voices new to the iconic franchise!
Tom Kenny returns to voice SpongeBob SquarePants, with Clancy Brown (Mr. Krabs), Rodger Bumpass (Squidward), Bill Fagerbakke (Patrick), Carolyn Lawrence (Sandy), Mr. Lawrence (Plankton).
Like the animated series, the SpongeBob movie universe is no stranger to celebrity cameos, and joining the cast in the latest SpongeBob animated feature are guest stars such as the aforementioned Mark Hamill as the Flying Dutchman, along with Regina Hall (Honk For Jesus, Scary Movie, Girls Trip), Sherry Cola (Nobody Wants This, Shrinking), Arturo Castro (Tron: Ares, Matchbox), George Lopez (Lopez vs Lopez, The Underdoggs) and rapper Ice Spice!
Four-time Grammy multi-platinum selling rapper Isis “Ice Spice” will also contribute a song to the movie.
New SpongeBob Short
Although December is still a bit of a way away, SpongeBob fans don't have to wait long to next see SpongeBob on the big screen, as a never-before-seen SpongeBob SquarePants short titled "Order Up" will be playing in theaters alongside the all-new Smurfs movie from Friday, July 18!
"Order Up" is a dialogue-free SpongeBob short directed by Sean Charmatz (Orion and the Dark), will debut in front of Smurfs in July. Created with the classic SpongeBob aesthetic and animation, it centers on the odd-couple dynamic between the always optimistic SpongeBob and his perpetually grumpy neighbor, Squidward, during one of their typical shifts at the Krusty Krab.
SpongeBob annoying his pal is so routine that he literally has it penciled into his calendar, yet, in the short, he's at his most abrasive, overusing the "order up" bell to the point that it drives the octopus mad. It's classic SpongeBob material. The slapstick comedy had been sitting in the Nickelodeon/Paramount vault for nearly a decade.
More About The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants
Based on the SpongeBob SquarePants series, created by Stephen Hillenburg, the screenplay for The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, was written by Pam Brady and Matt Lieberman, from a story by Pam Brady alongside franchise veterans Andrew Goodman and Kaz. John Debney, who previously worked on the music for The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water, returns to do the music here.
Producers are Lisa Stewart, Pam Brady, Aaron Dem, alongside executive producers Marc Ceccarelli and Vincent Waller.
The SpongeBob Movie: Search For SquarePants is produced by Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Movies in association with Domain Entertainment and MRC, and animated by Reel FX.
Watch the SpongeBob SquarePants Universe, including Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years and The Patrick Star Show on Nickelodeon and Paramount+! Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com.
Shop SpongeBob: https://www.paramountshop.com/pages/spongebobsquarepants
Listen to The SpongeBob Musical here!
CALLING ALL GOOFY GOOBERS! (ROCK!) Are ya ready for a deep dive into the world of SpongeBob SquarePants? The SpongeBob YouTube channel is THE PLACE for all fan-favorite SpongeBob moments! Subscribe now at https://www.youtube.com/SpongeBobOfficial!
CALLING ALL GOOFY GOOBERS! (ROCK!) Are ya ready for a deep dive into the world of SpongeBob SquarePants? The SpongeBob YouTube channel is THE PLACE for all fan-favorite SpongeBob moments! Subscribe now at https://www.youtube.com/SpongeBobOfficial!
Originally published: July 08, 2025 at 20:15 BST.
Original source: Animation Magazine; Additional source: That Hashtag Show.
