‘SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants’ can now be watched from the comfort of your couch — here’s how
Good news, Bikini Bottom believers! The pineapple under the sea is about to light up your living room. After its theatrical run, where fans were reciting lines and humming that catchy theme song on their way out of the theater, ‘The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants’ is officially making a jump to streaming. The fourth big-screen adventure for the fry cook with the square pants lands on Paramount+ on February 17. The new movie is directed by Derek Drymon and written by Pam Brady and Matt Lieberman.
The title sees SpongeBob on a mission that begins with a simple idea and then spirals into something much bigger, because when has anything in Bikini Bottom ever stayed small? This time around, SpongeBob decides he wants to show that he is just as brave as his long-time boss and somewhat questionable role model, Mr. Krabs. Of course, things don’t go according to plan. Rather than a little character-building exercise, he finds himself caught up in a wild journey that plunges through eerie waters, ghostly hideouts, and dangerous places. It’s colorful. It’s weird. It’s classic SpongeBob. The voice cast is exactly what one would hope for if they are a long-time fan.
Tom Kenny is back as SpongeBob. Clancy Brown is once again the voice of Mr. Krabs, while Bill Fagerbakke is the one who brings the lovable dim-wittedness of Patrick Star to life. The title also sees Rodger Bumpass return as Squidward. And then there’s the ghost in the room. Mark Hamill joins the cast as The Flying Dutchman, giving the iconic green pirate a voice. It’s the kind of casting that makes animation fans sit up straight. The film first hit theaters on December 19, 2025, drawing families, longtime fans, and probably a few nostalgic college students who grew up with the show. While the critical response was positive, the box office numbers told a slightly different story.
Ahead of the streaming release, Drymon spoke with Animation Scoop about bringing The Flying Dutchman back into focus. He made it clear the character isn’t just some random villain pulled out of storage. “The Dutchman has been a core part of the show from the very beginning,” Drymon revealed. For the unversed, the movie brought in about $165 million globally, which sounds like a lot until you compare it to ‘The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water,’ which earned more than double that back in 2015. On Rotten Tomatoes, ‘Search for SquarePants’ currently holds an 80% “Fresh” rating based on 70 verified critic reviews.
