| Director: | Dave Needham |
| Story: | Mr. Lawrence |
| Music: | Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper |
| Distributor: | Netflix |
| Released: | 2025 |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
Plankton: The Movie is an upcoming American animated musical comedy film based on the television series SpongeBob SquarePants, created by Stephen Hillenburg. It is directed by Dave Needham and written by Kaz, Chris Viscardi, and Mr. Lawrence, based on a story by Lawrence. It stars Lawrence, the voice of Plankton, alongside the rest of the series' regular cast. The story follows Plankton, whose world is changed completely when his plan for world domination is thwarted. It is the second in a series of SpongeBob character spin-off films following (2024).
In March 2020, ViacomCBS announced that it would be producing SpongeBob spin-off films for streaming television. In June 2024, a spin-off film featuring the character Plankton as its lead was announced with its creative team attached. Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper composed the score, and Bret McKenzie, Linda Perry, Mark Mothersbaugh, and Bob Mothersbaugh wrote original songs.
Prior to its release, the entire film was leaked in August 2024, as a video upload online. Plankton: The Movie will officially release on Netflix in 2025.
Plankton’s world is changed completely when his plan for world domination is thwarted.[1]
In March 2020, it was reported that ViacomCBS would be producing two spin-off films based on the series SpongeBob SquarePants for Netflix.[2] In February 2022, during an investor call, Nickelodeon CEO Brian Robbins said that three SpongeBob character-driven spin-off films were in the works and that they would release exclusively on streamer Paramount+, with the first one premiering in 2023.[3] However, in April 2023, it was reported that the first one, Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie, would instead debut on Netflix in 2024.[4]
In June 2024, it was announced that a second SpongeBob spin-off film for Netflix, titled Plankton: The Movie, was in production and would feature Plankton as its lead character.[5] The series' regular voice cast of Mr. Lawrence, the voice of Plankton, Jill Talley, Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, Carolyn Lawrence, Clancy Brown, and Rodger Bumpass were confirmed to reprise their roles. David Needham was announced as the film's director, with Mr. Lawrence co-writing the film, alongside Kaz and Chris Viscardi.
Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper was announced as the composer, with Karyn Rachtman and Otis Ratchman as music supervisors. Additionally, the film will feature original songs written by Bret McKenzie, Linda Perry, Mark Mothersbaugh, and Bob Mothersbaugh.
Similar to Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie, the entire film was leaked online as a video upload in August 2024 prior to its release.[6] Plankton: The Movie is scheduled to release on Netflix in 2025.