Fans of SpongeBob SquarePants are in for some good news as the latest word has Nickelodeon confirming that a third feature length motion picture is in the works. Based on the now seminal children’s animated series created by Stephen Hillenberg in 1999 – which has been on the air for ten seasons thus far – the popular talking sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea has already made his way to the big screen two times in the forms of The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie from 2004 and The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water from 2015.
Considering the fact that The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water as directed by Paul Tibbit was an unprecedented box office success – grossing $323 million worldwide on a $74 million budget – in addition to receiving generally favorable reviews, many fans of the property might have been left wondering whether or not a third feature film was on the way from Nickelodeon. Though by no means a brand new franchise, the continuing success of SpongeBob SquarePants on both the big and the small screen certainly speaks to the longevity of the product’s popularity – and the latest word has a third movie officially on the way.
According to THR, during a recent quarterly earnings conference call at Viacom – the parent company that owns Nickelodeon and several other television networks – Viacom CEO Bob Bakish turned the floor over to Nickelodeon president Cyma Zarghami to speak to the recent string of successes enjoyed by the popular children’s TV channel. Among other topics of interest, Zarghami touched upon the status of a third SpongeBob SquarePants movie by stating unequivocally, “There will definitely be another SpongeBob movie.“
Viewers who enjoyed both The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie and The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water from 2004 and 2015 respectively are no doubt eager to see where Nickelodeon intends to take the franchise next on the big screen. And outside of the property’s immediate audience, general viewers will no doubt take note of the series impressive survival rate nearly twenty years after airing initially on TV.
For many millennials who grew up watching the first several seasons of SpongeBob SquarePants, news of a third feature film could be seen as something to either enthusiastically look forward to or acknowledge with mild interest. Either way, here’s to hoping for the very best as Nickelodeon moves forward with the major motion picture production.
Screen Rant will keep you updated with any information related to the third SpongeBob SquarePants movie.
