The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants (2025)

​“The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants” stars Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, Rodger Bumpass, Clancy Brown, Carolyn Lawrence, Mr. Lawrence, and Mark Hamill.  Released on December 19, 2025, the film has SpongeBob SquarePants confronting The Flying Dutchman.

The film was directed by Derek Drymon, known for co-directing “Hotel Transylvania: Transformania”.  Drymon was also involved in shows like “SpongeBob SquarePants”, “Rocko’s Modern Life”, and “Adventure Time”.  It is the fourth main movie in the SpongeBob SquarePants film series.  Regarding the holiday season, there was no doubt that everyone was heading over to Pandora once again to hang out with the blue alien people.  However, those whose kids are too young for that thrilling experience would likely treat them to an alternate destination for their Christmas vacation.  One where a giddy yellow sponge lives in a pineapple and catches jellyfish for a living.  

What even is there for me to say about "SpongeBob SquarePants" that hasn’t already been said?  It’s one of the classic cartoons that define Nickelodeon as a go-to channel for kids and adults, and the only fuel that keeps it going in recent years.  Despite the ups and downs from some of the show’s recent seasons, SpongeBob remains a popular icon for the channel, more so than Mickey Mouse is for Disney.  His big-screen adventures have also been making a splash at the box office, further proving the spongy protagonist’s longevity and popularity beyond our television screens.  This trend continues with the latest film adaptation that takes SpongeBob on a pirate adventure akin to the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies, but underwater.  Was it able to deliver another fun addition to the ever-lasting franchise or make audiences want to say “Yo-ho-no”?  Let’s find out.

The story once again centers on SpongeBob SquarePants (Kenny), a fun-loving sponge who finds himself in another dilemma.  This time, he seeks to become a “big guy” despite his boss, Mr. Krabs (Brown), seeing him as a weak, cowardly, bubble-blowing man-child.  SpongeBob’s attempt to prove his bravery resulted in him and his best friend Patrick (Fagerbakke) encountering a ghostly pirate crew led by the Flying Dutchman (Hamill) and his assistant Barb (Regina Hall).  As a result, SpongeBob and Patrick find themselves on a dangerous journey to the Underworld, during which SpongeBob tests his courage and discovers the Dutchman’s true purpose.  Meanwhile, Mr. Krabs, Squidward (Bumpass), and Gary the Snail (Kenny) embark on a rescue mission to save SpongeBob before the Dutchman’s plan comes to fruition.

I’m pretty sure you all know by now how much “SpongeBob SquarePants” means to me growing up.  If not, then I’ll tell you that this iconic cartoon has been one of the most significant parts of my childhood.  It was basically one of the shows I was introduced to when my parents first exposed me to television.  While I can agree that some of its modern seasons aren’t as good as the earlier ones, I still appreciate the show for its surreally goofy charm and memorable characters.  So much so that I make sure to see the film adaptations of the series whenever they emerge from the waters.  Yes, that includes the ones made for Netflix, and no, mayonnaise and horseradish do not count as SpongeBob movies.  Unsurprisingly, “Search for SquarePants” is no exception, especially since this is the first theatrical movie of the franchise since “Sponge Out of Water” a decade ago.  “Sponge on the Run” was supposed to be released in theaters five years ago until the pandemic forced it onto Paramount+, though it did get a theatrical run in Canada.  So, this is clearly a test to see if the target audience is still willing to pay to see SpongeBob grace the big screen, as they did for the previous theatrical installments.

However, the actual test is whether its plot is worthy of the cinematic treatment, as it was initially developed as a direct-to-streaming movie centering on Mr. Krabs.  Given the film’s pirate theme, I could see Mr. Krabs being the main star of his own adventure beyond managing a fast-food restaurant and obsessing over money.  Since Plankton’s movie on Netflix was a serviceable hit, I won’t be surprised if Mr. Krabs gets his own film in the near future.  But I’m getting way too ahead with myself.  I was hoping to see it earlier when it first came out, but I wound up saving it for last due to my schedule, particularly my preparation for this year’s awards season.  It was a grueling wait, given my love for SpongeBob and the endless times I listened to Ice Spice singing about him being a “big guy”.  But, thankfully, the wait was worth it.  Was it the best SpongeBob movie ever?  Not even close, and it sure as heck didn’t have enough guts to stand alongside the other big animation titans.  However, it does provide a constraint yet consistently entertaining undersea adventure for families and fans of the popular cartoon, which is all it needed to do.

The thing to know about SpongeBob as a whole is that the series is like a child who's high on sugar.  It possesses an active imagination and is zany enough to run circles around you, keeping you on your toes at all times.  Or, if you want to get really edgy, you might consider it to be an all-access acid trip without the drugs, regarding its wacky yet creative visual gags.  Remember, don’t give your kids actual drugs unless that drug happens to be a talking sponge who loves blowing bubbles.  “Search for SquarePants” embodies that similar aura from the series to deliver a 90-minute-long surreal undersea adventure that’s swift enough to capture kids’ short attention spans but also fun enough to appease their parents.  Derek Drymon is another veteran of “SpongeBob SquarePants” who understands what makes the yellow sponge tick, not just through his personality, but also through the charm and humor that stem from his goofy behavior.  Of course, his biggest challenge was translating his cartoon knowledge and the show’s absurdity into a cinematic format.  Its zaniness and fast pacing may be a bit much for some casual viewers to abandon ship.  Nonetheless, what Drymon delivered in his direction was suitable enough to match the harmless fun and visual wackiness of the popular cartoon.  He knows that it’s silly and downright insane, and he just goes along with it, adding to the enjoyment of watching SpongeBob and Patrick becoming swashbuckling pirates.

However, it’s also far from a perfect voyage regarding its straightforward screenplay by Pam Brady and Matt Lieberman.  This is another family movie focused on delivering simple family entertainment, without any metaphorical or mature themes like those in most sophisticated animated films we’ve seen.  This is evident in the movie’s restrained, undemanding narrative about SpongeBob’s quest for bravery, which could’ve been seen as a Nickelodeon television movie.  At 90 minutes, or 96 minutes if you count the “Ninja Turtles” short that plays beforehand, the film wasted no time sailing through treacherous waters at a swift pace.  Yet, it gives itself enough time to highlight the film’s heart, particularly in its message about bravery.  The movie centers on SpongeBob believing that being a big guy means growing tall enough to ride the roller coaster, only to discover, through Mr. Krabs’ swashbuckling days, that it also means being brave in the face of danger.  But, amid his journey through the Underworld, SpongeBob would soon learn what it actually means to be courageous.

This message, which played a role in SpongeBob’s friendship with Mr. Krabs, is simple and to the point, like its storytelling.  Fortunately, it also possesses a hint of inspiration that’ll teach young kids that bravery doesn’t just come from growing up, even if it does remind me of the first SpongeBob movie.  Of course, I would even say that co-writer Pam Brady has redeemed herself from the recent “Smurfs” reboot that came out last year, not just for her clear understanding of the assignment but also for the humor.  The film features a couple of butt jokes thrown in there because what kid doesn’t love seeing a snail’s naked rear end?  But, they’re also well-balanced with a few jokes that the adults might get, particularly the brick puns.  Most of them are amusingly ridiculous or even just plain ridiculous, from the fourth-wall-breaking shenanigans to the wacky visual gags and cartoony slapstick.  Fortunately, it’s not to the point of being annoying, as I wound up giggling at the absurdity almost throughout the entire film.  That’s how you know how much I grew up watching the series.  It may not match the cinematic and emotional scale of other well-received animated outings, but the screenplay capitalized on its simplicity to deliver a humorously zany ride that highlights its message, which is as sweet as jellyfish jelly.

Regarding the voice cast, it’s no surprise that the original cast from the show continues to deliver excellent work for their characters.  Tom Kenny further demonstrates that no one is a better fit for SpongeBob than him.  His vocal range conveys SpongeBob as a likable, highly energetic, and gullible sponge whose innocent intentions often land him in hot water.  However, it’s never to the point of making him insufferable through his playfulness, further emphasizing why I love the character in the first place.  Bill Fagerbakke and Clancy Brown were also very entertaining in their roles as Patrick and Mr. Krabs, respectively, with the latter playing a bigger role in SpongeBob’s Underworld quest.  However, it’s also worth noting that Carolyn Lawrence’s Sandy Cheeks and Mr. Lawrence’s Plankton aren’t in the film as much as the other characters, with Plankton only appearing in one scene.  Given its restrained structure, it makes sense why those two characters only serve as cameos, but those hoping to see Sandy and Plankton join this pirate adventure would likely be disappointed with how they’re treated.

Speaking of cameos, “Search for SquarePants” is another SpongeBob movie that features an A-list supporting cast complementing the show’s veteran actors.  Unfortunately, most of these actors, including George Lopez, Ice Spice, and Arturo Castro, serve only as cameos designed to deliver gags.  The only exceptions to the case are Mark Hamill as The Flying Dutchman and Regina Hall as Barb.  While I got a kick out of Lopez voicing a fish executive from Paramount Studios, I would have to say that Hamill as the ghost pirate was the best part of the film’s supporting cast.  The Flying Dutchman has appeared numerous times in the show, brought to life by Brian Doyle-Murray, so it was long overdue for him to get his moment to shine on the big screen.  It would’ve been nice to see Doyle-Murray reprise his role, but I thought Mark Hamill did a fantastic job conveying the character’s raspy vocals as well as the persona that blends goofiness with villainy.  The Dutchman has proven himself an entertaining supporting character in the show's universe of oddball characters, and the film showed he can also serve as a fun antagonist for SpongeBob to face.  I also thought Regina Hall did surprisingly well with her unique vocal performance as the Dutchman’s assistant.  Seriously, you can barely tell that was Hall regarding how she disguises her voice.

Finally, we have the film’s animation, which serves as the backbone of this spongy flick…if sponges actually have backbones.  It’s still a shame that the movie doesn’t have the same 2D animated presentation as the first two SpongeBob films, especially in today’s world, when people need theatrical 2D animation now more than ever.  But if there’s one thing I learned from this film and “Sponge on the Run”, it’s that the CGI style can be as visually kooky and imaginative as the franchise’s classic 2D days.  It’s hard to say which CGI SpongeBob I enjoyed the most, but I will say that the animation in “Search for SquarePants” is the most fluent and vibrant I’ve seen from the franchise’s current cinematic presentation.  Regarding its cartoonish designs, simple yet colorful settings, and well-defined textures, “Search for SquarePants” respectfully reflects the source material’s surrealism and slapstick without losing much of its own identity.  Of course, the monsters in the Underworld can look a bit terrifying for younger kids, but some of them are designed to balance out their frightening nature with the movie’s humor.  Additionally, the animation works really well for its visual gags, including a few trademark close-up shots seen in the cartoon and the live-action segments.  The latter aspects were pretty cheap-looking, but they add to the uncanny charm while imbuing specific sequences with a cinematic flair.

Overall, “The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants” offers plenty of nautical wackiness and visual appeal to deliver a straightforward yet seaworthy cinematic voyage.  While it’s nowhere near as bold as the other animation titans of 2025, SpongeBob’s latest undersea adventure retains the show’s enjoyment, charm, and silliness to delight young kids and even adults who grew up watching the iconic Nicktoon.  It’s simple to a fault, and its cartoonish tone can be a bit overwhelming for some casual viewers.  Nonetheless, it’s a harmless, suitably animated, and often sweet addition to the SpongeBob universe that’s as fun as blowing bubbles with a bubble buddy.  Its screenplay lacks an extra heft in its plot elements to match the heights of the titular sponge’s previous cinematic endeavors, particularly the first two movies.  Fortunately, it easily compensates for its flawed narrative with a slew of jokes, quirky vibes, and visual gags that made me laugh as much as the spongy protagonist.  It’s not my favorite movie in the SpongeBob SquarePants film series, but it benefits from an entertaining voice cast, vibrant animation, an absurdly amusing tone, and a heartfelt message that keeps the franchise’s ship afloat.  As a fan of SpongeBob, I was mildly satisfied with the ghostly voyage I partook in.  As a movie critic, I would say it’s a decent watch if you understand the show’s offbeat, kid-friendly tone. 

B-