The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie

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'''''The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie''''' is a 2004 American animated [[adventure comedy film]] based on the television series ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants]]''. It is the [[SpongeBob SquarePants (film series)|first theatrical film based on the series]], and was co-written, co-produced, and directed by series creator [[Stephen Hillenburg]]<ref name=AFI>{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=63237|title=Detail view of Movies Page|publisher=[[American Film Institute]]|access-date=May 26, 2015|archive-date=May 26, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150526201347/http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=63237|url-status=live}}</ref> and features the [[List of SpongeBob SquarePants cast members|series' regular voice cast]] consisting of [[Tom Kenny]], [[Bill Fagerbakke]], [[Clancy Brown]], [[Rodger Bumpass]], [[Mr. Lawrence]], [[Jill Talley]], [[Carolyn Lawrence]], and [[Mary Jo Catlett]]. Guest stars [[Alec Baldwin]], [[Scarlett Johansson]], and [[Jeffrey Tambor]] voice new characters, and [[David Hasselhoff]] appears in [[live-action]] as himself. In the film, [[Plankton and Karen|Plankton]] enacts a plan to discredit his business nemesis [[Mr. Krabs]], steal the [[Krabby Patty]] secret formula and take over the world by stealing [[Neptune (mythology)|King Neptune]]'s crown and framing Mr. Krabs for the crime. [[SpongeBob SquarePants (character)|SpongeBob]] and [[Patrick Star|Patrick]] team up to retrieve the crown from Shell City to save Mr. Krabs from Neptune's wrath and save Bikini Bottom from Plankton's rule.

'''''The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie''''' is a 2004 American animated [[adventure comedy film]] based on the television series ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants]]''. It was co-written, co-produced, and directed by series creator [[Stephen Hillenburg]]<ref name=AFI>{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=63237|title=Detail view of Movies Page|publisher=[[American Film Institute]]|access-date=May 26, 2015|archive-date=May 26, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150526201347/http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=63237|url-status=live}}</ref> and features the [[List of SpongeBob SquarePants cast members|series' regular voice cast]] consisting of [[Tom Kenny]], [[Bill Fagerbakke]], [[Clancy Brown]], [[Rodger Bumpass]], [[Mr. Lawrence]], [[Jill Talley]], [[Carolyn Lawrence]], and [[Mary Jo Catlett]]. Guest stars [[Alec Baldwin]], [[Scarlett Johansson]], and [[Jeffrey Tambor]] voice new characters, and [[David Hasselhoff]] appears in [[live-action]] as himself. In the film, [[Plankton and Karen|Plankton]] enacts a plan to discredit his business nemesis [[Mr. Krabs]], steal the [[Krabby Patty]] secret formula and take over the world by stealing [[Neptune (mythology)|King Neptune]]'s crown and framing Mr. Krabs for the crime. [[SpongeBob SquarePants (character)|SpongeBob]] and [[Patrick Star|Patrick]] team up to retrieve the crown from Shell City to save Mr. Krabs from Neptune's wrath and save Bikini Bottom from Plankton's rule.

Hillenburg accepted an offer for a [[film adaptation]] of ''SpongeBob SquarePants'' from [[Paramount Pictures]] in 2002, after turning it down multiple times the previous year. He assembled a team from the show's writing staff, including himself, [[Derek Drymon]], [[Tim Hill (filmmaker)|Tim Hill]], [[Kent Osborne]], [[Aaron Springer]], and [[Paul Tibbitt]], and 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.

Hillenburg accepted an offer for a [[film adaptation]] of ''SpongeBob SquarePants'' from [[Paramount Pictures]] in 2002, after turning it down multiple times the previous year. He assembled a team from the show's writing staff, including himself, [[Derek Drymon]], [[Tim Hill (filmmaker)|Tim Hill]], [[Kent Osborne]], [[Aaron Springer]], and [[Paul Tibbitt]], and 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. Two standalone sequels released: ''[[The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water]]'' (2015) and ''[[The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run]]'' (2020). With a fourth film, ''[[The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants]],'' is scheduled to release in theaters on December 19, 2025.

''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. It is the first in a [[SpongeBob SquarePants (film series)|series of ''SpongeBob'' films]], including ''[[The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water]]'' (2015) and ''[[The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run]]'' (2020). A fourth film, ''[[The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants]],'' is scheduled to be released on December 19, 2025.

== Plot ==

== Plot ==