The world of everyone's favorite pineapple-dwelling, bright yellow sponge is about to get much bigger. During the ViacomCBS Investors Event, streaming service Paramount+ has announced that it is bringing three all-new movies to the service based on characters in the SpongeBob SquarePants universe. They also announced that a fourth, as-yet-untitled SpongeBob film is currently being developed by Nickelodeon Animation for release on the big screen. This is not the first time Nickelodeon is expanding the world of the franchise, which has remained popular with the young and young-at-heart for over two decades.
Two SpongeBob spinoffs, The Patrick Star Show and Kamp Koral launched in 2021 to great success. The Patrick Star Show, which airs on Nickelodeon and coming soon to Paramount+, follows the titular starfish — and best friend of SpongeBob Squarepants — as he hosts a talk show with his family. While beloved characters like SpongeBob, Sandy Cheeks, Squidward, and Mr. Krabs make guest appearances on The Patrick Star show, they appear more prominently in Kamp Koral (full title: Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years), which airs on Paramount+. The show follows a 10-year old SpongeBob attending Kamp Koral and causing his usual mayhem with Patrick and Sandy, much to the dismay of nearly-teenaged Squidward.
According to the announcement by Paramount+, the three direct-to-streaming movies — the first of which is expected to arrive in 2023 — will feature original characters from the spin-off series, though no other details are known at this time.
Brian Robbins, chief content officer of movies and kids and family for Paramount+ said during the event, "As we’ve known with Nickelodeon’s long-standing success, the kids and family audience is incredibly loyal, and we see that on Paramount+ as well", going on to add, "So, as they stay for our shows and look for even more of them, we’re doubling down on giving them what they want by expanding the universes of the characters they love the best."
The fourth SpongeBob film, which is slated for theatrical release, marks a return to the silver screen after the third film in the series The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge On The Run was released directly to streaming in summer 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
There is currently no release date for any of the films, though the first of the streaming exclusives is expected in 2023. .