The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie is a 2004 American live-action/animated adventure comedy film based on the animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants. The film was directed, co-written, and produced by series creator Stephen Hillenburg, with live-action sequences directed by Mark Osborne. It features the series' regular voice cast with Alec Baldwin, David Hasselhoff, Scarlett Johansson, and Jeffrey Tambor portraying new characters. It is the first film in the SpongeBob SquarePants film series. In this film, Plankton and Karen enact a plan to discredit their business nemesis Mr. Krabs, steal the Krabby Patty secret formula and take over the world by stealing King Neptune's crown and framing Mr. Krabs for the crime. SpongeBob and Patrick team up to retrieve the crown from Shell City to save Mr. Krabs from Neptune's wrath and the oceanic world from Plankton's rule.
Hillenburg accepted an offer for a film adaptation of SpongeBob SquarePants from Paramount Pictures in 2002, after having turned it down multiple times the previous year. He assembled a team from the show's writing staff, including Derek Drymon, Tim Hill, Kent Osborne, Aaron Springer, and Paul Tibbitt, and they structured the film as a mythical hero's journey that would bring SpongeBob and Patrick to the surface. The film was originally intended to serve as the series finale, but Nickelodeon ordered more episodes of the series as it had become increasingly profitable, so Hillenburg resigned as showrunner, with Tibbitt taking his place.
The film was widely promoted by Paramount and Nickelodeon, with tie-in promotions made by 7-Eleven, the Cayman Islands, and Burger King, which decorated various of its franchises with 9-foot (2.7 m) SpongeBob inflatable figures. The film had its yellow-carpet premiere at the Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, California on November 14, 2004 and it was released in the United States on November 19, 2004. It grossed $140 million worldwide, and received generally positive reviews from critics. Two standalone sequels have been released: The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water (2015) and The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run (2020).
Plot[]
The movie begins with a live-action sequence of a pirate crew finding tickets to The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie and sailing to the movie theater to watch the film.
In the movie proper, SpongeBob prepares for the opening ceremony of the Krusty Krab 2 (located next to the original Krusty Krab), believing that his boss Mr. Krabs will promote him as manager of the new restaurant. At the ceremony, the title is instead given to his co-worker Squidward Tentacles. Krabs says that Squidward is more mature and that SpongeBob is "just a kid" who is unable to handle the task, upsetting SpongeBob.
Meanwhile, Plankton laments over his futile attempts to steal the Krabby Patty secret formula and take over the world, until his computer wife Karen reminds him of "Plan Z". At night, Plankton carries out the plan by stealing King Neptune's crown and sending it to Shell City, leaving false evidence behind to frame Krabs for the crime. That same night, SpongeBob heads to his favorite restaurant, Goofy Goober's, where he drowns his sorrows in ice cream with his best friend Patrick Star, and wakes up the next morning with a hangover. King Neptune goes to the Krusty Krab 2 to confront Krabs about his stolen crown. The still-hungover SpongeBob also arrives and bad-mouths Krabs, but upon seeing that his boss's life is at risk, promises Neptune that he will retrieve the crown from Shell City. Neptune is convinced by his daughter Mindy to give SpongeBob a chance; he freezes Krabs and orders SpongeBob to return with the crown within six days in order to spare Krabs's life. Mindy warns SpongeBob and Patrick of the dangers of Shell City, including "the Cyclops", who captures innocent sea creatures who are never to be seen again. SpongeBob and Patrick head off for Shell City in the Patty Wagon - a Krabby Patty-shaped car stored underneath the Krusty Krab.
Back in Bikini Bottom, Plankton steals the Krabby Patty formula and uses it to sell Krabby Patties at his restaurant, the Chum Bucket, claiming Krabs willed the recipe to him. When Karen informs him that SpongeBob and Patrick are attempting to reclaim Neptune's crown, Plankton reveals he has hired a hitman named Dennis to eliminate the duo. Squidward discovers the truth about Plankton stealing Neptune's crown and goes to the Chum Bucket to confront him. Before Squidward can leave and alert Neptune, Plankton activates his mind-controlling souvenir bucket helmets to enslave the residents of Bikini Bottom, seizing Squidward as well. Meanwhile, SpongeBob and Patrick come across a hazardous trench and lose the Patty Wagon. About to give up, Mindy appears and gives them encouragement by using her "mermaid magic" to bestow seaweed mustaches on them, convincing them that they have matured from boys into men and they successfully pass the trench.
SpongeBob and Patrick meet Dennis who tries to step on them with his giant boot, but he gets stomped on by a larger boot - which belongs to the previously mentioned Cyclops (a diver). The Cyclops captures SpongeBob and Patrick and takes them to his store by the beach where dead, dried sea creatures are sold as souvenirs, which is in fact "Shell City" itself. SpongeBob and Patrick find the crown, but the Cyclops' heat lamp dries them. However, they shed tears just before their temporary demise that short-circuits the lamp, which releases smoke and activates the emergency sprinkler system, reviving them, as well as the other dried-out sea creatures being sold as souvenirs. While the vengeful sea creatures attack the Cyclops, SpongeBob and Patrick take the crown and head out to the beach. After accidentally losing their way home, David Hasselhoff appears and offers them a ride. On the way, Dennis catches up to them, but gets knocked off Hasselhoff's back into the sea when he passes underneath a catamaran.
Back at the Krusty Krab 2, Neptune arrives to execute Krabs when SpongeBob and Patrick return with the crown with Hasselhoff's help and save Krabs. However, Plankton drops a mind-control bucket on Neptune and surrounds SpongeBob, Patrick and Mindy with his army of slaves. SpongeBob, embracing the fact that he's accomplished so much despite being a kid, uses the power of rock and roll to play "Goofy Goober Rock" (a parody of Twisted Sister's "I Wanna Rock"), and frees Neptune and the citizens of Bikini Bottom from the helmets with his magic guitar. Plankton tries to escape, but is squashed flat when a horde of citizens arrive at the Krusty Krab 2 and rush in to greet the one who liberated them. Plankton is then arrested by the police and King Neptune thanks SpongeBob for his bravery and unfreezes Krabs (only to accidentally turn him into a real human boy before actually reverting him to his normal self), who graciously gives the title of general manager of the Krusty Krab 2 to him.
Cast[]
:See also: List of SpongeBob SquarePants cast members and List of SpongeBob SquarePants characters
- Tom Kenny as SpongeBob SquarePants and Gary the Snail
- Bill Fagerbakke as Patrick Star
- Clancy Brown as Mr. Krabs
- Rodger Bumpass as Squidward Tentacles
- Mr. Lawrence as Plankton
- Alec Baldwin as Dennis
- Scarlett Johansson as Princess Mindy
- Jeffrey Tambor as King Neptune
- Jill Talley as Karen
- David Hasselhoff as himself
- Carolyn Lawrence as Sandy Cheeks
- Mary Jo Catlett as Mrs. Puff
- Lori Alan as Pearl Krabs
Other characters from the television series also appear in the film. Carlos Alazraqui, director Stephen Hillenburg, and Neil Ross voice King Neptune's squire, a parrot, and the Cyclops, respectively. In a post-credits scene, Mageina Tovah portrays a theater usher.
Standalone sequels[]
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water[]
- Main article: The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water
A second film, which was announced in February 2012, was directed by Paul Tibbitt, written by Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger, and executive-produced by Stephen Hillenburg, who co-wrote the story with Tibbit. Paramount stated in early June 2014 that the film would be released on February 6, 2015. The film involves SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidward, Mr. Krabs, Plankton and Sandy taking back the Krabby Patty secret formula from a pirate that stole it, resulting in them making it to land.
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run[]
- Main article: The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run
The third film, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run, was announced in late 2019 and was released on August 14, 2020, in Canada and on March 4, 2021, on Paramount+ in the United States. Tim Hill served as the director and the screenplay was written by Aaron Springer with Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger. The film follows SpongeBob and Patrick on a rescue mission to save Gary, and reveals how SpongeBob and Gary met at Kamp Koral.
Literature[]
- 2004: Marc Cerasini: SpongeBob SquarePants Movie: A novelization of the hit movie!, Simon Spotlight, Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css must have content model "Sanitized CSS" for TemplateStyles (current model is "Scribunto").Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css must have content model "Sanitized CSS" for TemplateStyles (current model is "Scribunto").ISBN 978-0689868405
External Links[]
- Nickipedia
- Encyclopedia Spongebobia
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_SpongeBob_SquarePants_Movie