November 19, 2004
The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie is a 2004 American live-action/animated adventure comedy film based on the Nickelodeon 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 consisting of Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, Clancy Brown, Rodger Bumpass, and Mr. Lawrence, with Alec Baldwin, Scarlett Johansson, and Jeffrey Tambor voicing new characters, as well as David Hasselhoff appearing in live-action as himself. It is the first film in the SpongeBob SquarePants film series. In this film, Plankton enacts a plan to discredit his 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 their 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 himself, 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 SpongeBob SquarePants Movie premiered in Los Angeles on November 14, 2004, and was released in the United States on November 19. It received generally positive reviews and grossed $141 million worldwide, becoming the seventh highest-grossing animated film of 2004. Two standalone sequels have been released: The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water (2015) and The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run (2020), with a fourth film currently in development.
Storyline[]
In Bikini Bottom, SpongeBob SquarePants 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. At the ceremony, the title is instead given to his co-worker Squidward Tentacles. Krabs explains to SpongeBob that Squidward is more mature and that he is "just a kid" who would be 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". Later, Plankton carries out the plan by stealing King Neptune's crown and sending it to Shell City, leaving false evidence to frame Krabs for the crime. That 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 afterward promises Neptune that he will retrieve the crown from Shell City. Neptune freezes Krabs and orders SpongeBob to return within six days in order to spare his boss' life. Neptune's daughter Mindy warns SpongeBob and Patrick of the dangers of Shell City, including "the Cyclops", a monster who kidnaps innocent sea creatures. SpongeBob and Patrick head off for Shell City in the Patty Wagon, a Krabby Patty-shaped car stored underneath the restaurant.
Back in Bikini Bottom, Plankton steals the Krabby Patty formula from the frozen Krabs and uses it to sell Krabby Patties. 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 confronts him. Before Squidward can leave and alert Neptune, Plankton activates his mind-controlling bucket helmets to subjugate the residents of Bikini Bottom, enslaving Squidward as well. Meanwhile, SpongeBob and Patrick come across a hazardous trench and lose the Patty Wagon. On the verge of giving up, Mindy appears and gives them encouragement by using her "mermaid magic" to bestow seaweed mustaches on them, fooling them that they have matured from boys into men. The two then successfully pass the trench.
SpongeBob and Patrick meet Dennis, who reveals that the mustaches are fake. He tries to crush them with his giant boot, but is abruptly stomped on by a larger boot - which belongs to the Cyclops (a diver). The Cyclops captures SpongeBob and Patrick and takes them to his store by the beach, where dried sea creatures are sold as souvenirs. SpongeBob and Patrick learn that the store is "Shell City" itself and find the crown, only to dry out and die from the intensity of the Cyclops' heat lamp. However, the tears they shed short-circuit the lamp, activating the emergency sprinkler system and reviving the duo alongside the dried sea creatures. While the sea creatures attack the Cyclops, SpongeBob and Patrick take the crown and head 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.
Back at the Krusty Krab 2, Neptune arrives to execute Krabs, but SpongeBob and Patrick return with the crown just in time. 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 the song "Goofy Goober Rock", freeing Neptune and the citizens of Bikini Bottom from all of Plankton's buckets with his magic guitar. Plankton is arrested by the police, and King Neptune rewards SpongeBob for his bravery by unfreezing Krabs. A jubilant Krabs gives SpongeBob the job as manager of the Krusty Krab 2.
Also See[]
- SpongeBob SquarePants
- The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water (2015)
- The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run (2020)
- Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie (2024)
- The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants (2025)
- The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004) (Teasers)
- The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004) (TV Spots)