The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants (2025)
Movie · 2025 · Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy · 1h 28m · PG · English
Curator score: 1.0/10 (99.2K ratings)
Ship's about to go down.
Overview
Desperate to be a big guy, SpongeBob sets out to prove his bravery to Mr. Krabs by following The Flying Dutchman – a mysterious swashbuckling ghost pirate – on a seafaring adventure that takes him to the deepest depths of the deep sea, where no Sponge has gone before.
Ratings
Curator score: 1.0/10
IMDb: 5.7/10
Letterboxd: 2.48/5
Metacritic: 65
TMDB: 6.8/10
Director
Derek Drymon
Production
Paramount Animation, Nickelodeon Movies, Domain Entertainment
Cast
Tom Kenny, Clancy Brown, Rodger Bumpass, Bill Fagerbakke, Carolyn Lawrence, Mr. Lawrence, George López, Ice Spice, Arturo Castro, Sherry Cola, Regina Hall, Mark Hamill, Mark Whitten, Thomas F. Wilson, Grey DeLisle, Jill Talley, Juan Francisco Villa, Margaux Susi, Arthur Waite, Capri O'Neill
Where to watch
fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, MGM Plus, Philo
Curator Review
Verdict
A lively, kid-friendly underwater quest with the usual SpongeBob energy, but the reception suggests it leans heavily on familiar beats and fan-service rather than feeling essential. It should work best for viewers who want more SpongeBob chaos, musical gags, and callback-heavy silliness; less so for anyone hoping for a fresh reinvention or a movie that stands apart from the 2004 film.
Best for
SpongeBob fans who enjoy deep-cut references and recurring jokes
Families looking for bright, fast-paced animation and slapstick
Viewers who like absurd, meme-friendly comedy
Kids who respond to simple adventure stories and big emotional sincerity
Skip if
You want the most inventive or emotionally resonant SpongeBob movie
You are tired of franchise repetition and surface-level nostalgia
You prefer comedy that is less chaotic and more character-driven
You expect the film to improve on the original 2004 movie
Overview
Search for SquarePants plays like a familiar SpongeBob detour: a quest for bravery, a spooky pirate guide, and a steady stream of visual nonsense. The appeal is immediate if you like this world’s elastic logic, bright colors, and relentless joke density. It is built to keep younger viewers engaged while tossing longtime fans a few callbacks and in-jokes.
Worth noting
What holds it back is the sense that it is revisiting territory the series has already mined, especially the “go to the surface / leave Bikini Bottom” structure. That repetition makes the film feel more like a new episode with a bigger budget than a must-see event movie. The humor is still broad and often very funny, but the story itself is thin and familiar.
Bottom line
If SpongeBob’s optimism and chaos are enough for you, this should be an easy watch. If you want a sharper narrative or a movie that expands the franchise in a meaningful way, the original film remains the stronger choice.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Columbus1912 𐦖 (2.5★) · 3527 likes
I genuinely don’t understand how these people got away with putting so much ass on my screen
eddyburback · 3449 likes
i did want to see more of the ice spice fish but at the end of the day it is a children’s movie and i am almost 30
mmiff · 2234 likes
big guy big guy big guy big guy
big guy big guy pants okaybig guy big guy pants okay
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big guy big guy pants okaybig guy big guy pants okay
big guy big guy big guy big guy
big guy big guy pants okaybig guy big guy pants okay
big guy big guy big guy big guy
big guy big guy pants okaybig guy big guy pants okay
Cartoonshi (2.5★) · 1816 likes
Every SpongeBob movie must have their government mandated “going to the surface” moment.