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The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie

The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie

Hero. Legend. Sponge.

200487 minPGMidcredits score: 90th percentile of all films
Director
Stephen Hillenburg
Starring
Tom Kenny, Clancy Brown, Rodger Bumpass, Bill Fagerbakke

There's trouble brewing in Bikini Bottom. Someone has stolen King Neptune's crown, and it looks like Mr. Krab, SpongeBob's boss, is the culprit. Though he's just been passed over for the promotion of his dreams, SpongeBob stands by his boss, and along with his best pal Patrick, sets out on a treacherous mission to Shell City to reclaim the crown and save Mr. Krab's life.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie streaming on Paramount+, Prime Video and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie?

The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie earns 10 badges, led by Cultural touchstone and Top 10% of films.

Show 2 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie worth watching?

The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie's Midcredits score is the 90th percentile of all films, from 816K ratings across 6 sources. 75% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

90th percentile

Better received than 90% of films

85th percentile among Animation89th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)92nd
Approval (how many liked it)85th

76 /100

92nd percentile of all films

89th percentile among Animation92nd percentile among 2000s

Critics 67 · Audience 76

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.4 — solid but not unanimous.

75% liked it

85th percentile of all films

79th percentile among Animation83rd percentile among 2000s
75% rated it 7–1025% rated it 1–6

Critics 68% · Audience 79%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 10 noms overall

99th percentile

815K ratings across platforms

97th percentile among Animation98th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 11% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$30M
Opening weekend$32M
Domestic gross$85M
Worldwide gross$141M

Returned 4.7× its budget — 88th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A feature-length episode that captures the show's offbeat, childish tone but divides viewers on whether that works for 90 minutes.

Fans praised

  • Faithful extension of the TV show's surreal humor and spirit
  • Clever adult-oriented jokes layered beneath the silliness
  • Entertaining musical numbers and guest cameos

Detractors panned

  • Feels like a stretched-out episode with weak plot
  • Crude or forced humor, over-reliance on bathroom gags
  • Familiar supporting characters sidelined in favor of new ones

What stands out

HumorDivisive72

Surreal and juvenile gags with adult subtext

Sound and musicDivisive70

Catchy original songs and energetic score

ActingDivisive70

Voice cast faithful to TV personas

CharactersDivisive65

Familiar cast well-preserved but supporting roles underused

Pacing45

Sags in the middle, feels overlong

Plot and storyDivisive40

Simple quest narrative, feels thin and padded

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 15 points higher than women.

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Under-30s

Under-30s scored it 17 points higher than over-30s.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 14 points higher than critics.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Easy laugh: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something light that makes you laugh and does not take itself seriously.

It never lets up and leaves you entertained. Skip it when you want something with weight.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Easy laugh.

Moods
JoyfulManicThrilling
Heaviest: throughout
Absurdist humor: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Register
PlayfulExuberant · 2% of films: Bursting with energy and joy in its own filmmaking.Absurdist · 7% of films: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Frame story · 5% of films: A story told inside another — someone is recounting it.
ToneThe film plays its absurd, childlike adventure with total sincerity, never winking at the audience.
The rideThe film maintains a consistently bright, fast-paced energy with occasional brief dips into melancholy, never letting the mood darken for long.
StructureThe main quest story follows a conventional three-act structure, framed by live-action pirates watching the movie.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

FunFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves the viewer grinning and uplifted by SpongeBob's triumphant, silly victory.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).QuestRescue
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% (this title) · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Rescue: Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).

10% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeSpongeBob and Patrick's journey to retrieve King Neptune's crown and save Mr. Krabs forms a classic quest, with the rescue subtype as they must save Mr. Krabs from execution.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSelf-worth
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% (this title) · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% (this title) · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% (this title) · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Self-worth · 7% of filmsFriendship · 9% of filmsHope · 5% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Dual lead
How it treats its themeSpongeBob's journey is about proving he is capable despite being dismissed as 'just a kid', exploring self-worth through loyalty and optimism.
StanceThe film celebrates self-worth and friendship, affirming that being a kid with imagination is a strength, not a weakness.

The world

TimelessUrbanWildernessFantasy
Orchestral classicalRockPopForeground music · hybrid · Gregor Narholz
SettingBikini Bottom underwater city, plus real-world beach and Shell City souvenir shop
MusicOriginal score mixed with a parody of 'I Wanna Rock' and the Goofy Goober rock anthem.

Content guide

Is The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie okay for kids?

PG

The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie is rated PG: “Rated PG for some mild crude humor” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (38/100), sexual content at mild (28/100), language at mild (19/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (30/100) and frightening material at moderate (42/100). Overall it is heavier than 51% of PG-rated films.

Ratings in 37 other countries
  • UKU
  • CanadaG
  • AustraliaG
  • Germany6
  • FranceU
  • IrelandG
  • New ZealandG
  • JapanG
  • South KoreaAll
  • BrazilL
  • ArgentinaATP
  • Austria12
  • Belgium14
  • CLTE
  • COT
  • CzechiaU
  • DenmarkA
  • FinlandS
  • Hungary12
  • IDSU
  • ISL
  • ItalyT
  • MexicoAA
  • NetherlandsAL
  • Norway6
  • PEAPT
  • PhilippinesG
  • Poland12
  • PortugalM/3
  • Russia6+
  • SingaporePG
  • SpainAPTA
  • SwedenBtl
  • Switzerland7
  • TaiwanGP
  • TürkiyeG
  • UAZA
Overall
Mild · all five categories
Heavier than 15% of all filmsHeavier than 51% of PG-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 56%
Sex & Nudity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 65%
Profanity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 33%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 59%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 63%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is frightening material, heavier than 63% of PG-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie?

Cast

Tom Kenny
as SpongeBob
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Clancy Brown
as Mr. Krabs
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Rodger Bumpass
as Squidward
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Bill Fagerbakke
as Patrick Star
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Mr. Lawrence
as Plankton
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.
Jill Talley
as Karen
Carolyn Lawrence
as Sandy
Mary Jo Catlett
as Mrs. Puff
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Jeffrey Tambor
as King Neptune
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Scarlett Johansson
as Mindy
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie?

Movies like The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie include The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water (2015), The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run (2020) and Aladdin (1992). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films written by Stephen Hillenburg, and most are stories about princesses.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

8 of these 12 share its subject: self-worth. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie?

552 other films share the rarest tag below, up against: supervillain. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.