List of stand-alone specials
SpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series created by former marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. It is broadcasted on the American cable network Nickelodeon. Since its debut on May 1, 1999, the series has aired over 300 half-hour episodes and is currently in its sixteenth season, which premiered on June 27, 2025. The series follows the adventures of the title character and his various friends in the fictional underwater city of Bikini Bottom.
The series' first feature film, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, was released in theaters in the United States on November 19, 2004. A second feature film, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, was released in theaters in the United States on February 6, 2015. The third feature film, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run, was released digitally on Paramount+ in the United States on March 4, 2021. A fourth feature film, The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, is currently slated to premiere in the United States on December 19, 2025.
The series' first television movie, "Atlantis SquarePantis," in season 5, premiered on November 12, 2007 after a 12-hour television marathon. The second television movie, "Truth or Square," in season 6, premiered on November 6, 2009 to celebrate the show's 10-year anniversary. The third television movie, "SpongeBob's Big Birthday Blowout," in season 12, premiered on July 12, 2019 to celebrate the show's 20-year anniversary. The fourth television movie, "Kreepaway Kamp," in season 14, premiered on October 10, 2024 to celebrate the show's 25-year anniversary. The fifth television movie, "SpongeBob and Patrick's Timeline Twist-Up," in season 16, premiered on June 27, 2025.
The first eight seasons are available on DVD for Regions 1, 2, and 4 as of October 2017. Seasons 9-14 are available on DVD for Region 1 as of October 15, 2024. The series is officially available for streaming on Paramount+.
SpongeBob SquarePants has received two spin-offs: Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years, which premiered on Paramount+ on March 4, 2021; and The Patrick Star Show, which premiered on Nickelodeon on July 9, 2021. The franchise also received a spin-off film titled Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie, which was released on Netflix on August 2, 2024. A second spin-off film, Plankton: The Movie, was released on Netflix on March 7, 2025, and an additional spin-off film about Patrick is currently slated to release in the future.
Hillenburg initially began to work on creating the show shortly after the cancellation of Rocko's Modern Life in 1996. To voice the character of SpongeBob, Hillenburg approached Tom Kenny, who had worked with him on Rocko's Modern Life as a voice actor. SpongeBob was originally to be named "SpongeBoy," but the name was already in use for a pencil product. Upon finding it out, Hillenburg decided to use the name "SpongeBob." He chose "SquarePants" as a family name, as it referred to the character's square shape and it had a "nice ring to it."
