The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run is a 2020 American live-action/computer-animated adventure comedy film based on the animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants. Written and directed by series co-developer and former writer Tim Hill, who co-wrote the story with Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger, it is the first film in the franchise to be fully animated in stylized CGI rather than traditional 2D animation. The regular voice cast of the series reprise their respective roles from the series and the previous films, and the plot follows the origin of how SpongeBob met Gary the Snail, and SpongeBob's quest to rescue him after he is kidnapped. It is the third theatrical film based on the series, following the first in 2004 and second in 2015. The film is dedicated to creator Stephen Hillenburg, who died in 2018, and also served as an executive producer on the project.

The film was produced by Paramount Animation, Nickelodeon Movies, and United Plankton Pictures, with animation provided by Mikros Image. Originally slated for a worldwide theatrical release by Paramount Pictures, plans were changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The film was released theatrically in Canada on August 14, 2020, digitally on Netflix in other territories on November 5, 2020. It was released as a premium video-on-demand offering and a Paramount+ launch title in the United States on March 4, 2021. Sponge on the Run received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise for the animation and loyalty to the series. The film was nominated for Favorite Animated Movie at the 2022 Kids' Choice Awards, but lost to Encanto.

## Plot

In Bikini Bottom, Plankton works on a new plan to steal the Krabby Patty formula while Karen argues that SpongeBob is actually responsible for all his previous failures and not Mr. Krabs. That same night, Plankton sneaks into the Krusty Krab and scans a sample of a Krabby Patty burger to print the formula, but SpongeBob inadvertently causes Plankton to fall into a deep fryer and lose the formula while the latter was searching for his keys. This leads Plankton to understand that Karen was right in her suspicions.

Meanwhile, miles away in Atlantic City, selfish ruler King Poseidon has just used up all the slime from his latest sea snail, which is necessary to keep him rejuvenated. Since sea snails are almost extinct, Poseidon decrees the obtaining of a new snail. Plankton finds out about this and kidnaps SpongeBob's pet snail Gary so that SpongeBob will go to find him and thus not interfere with his plans. The next morning, SpongeBob learns from Patrick that Gary was taken to Atlantic City. As part of his plan, Plankton offers Otto, a robot built by Sandy, to take them to the city with the hopes that they never return. Without SpongeBob cooking Krabby Patties, the Krusty Krab's enraged customers trash the restaurant despite Mr. Krabs and Squidward's efforts to stop them. Otto drives SpongeBob and Patrick to an old Western town where they meet a tumbleweed spirit named Sage.

Sage reveals that they are in a dream and must overcome a special mission to continue their search. He gives them a "Challenge Coin" that will embrave them into a tavern haunted by ghostly zombie pirates. Following a small musical number with Snoop Dogg, SpongeBob and Patrick discover that the pirates' souls are trapped by an evil spirit known as "El Diablo" and their mission is to free them. El Diablo traps the duo in his office, but they accidentally disintegrate him with the sunlight by uncovering some window curtains. The pirates' souls are freed and SpongeBob and Patrick continue on their travel until Otto wakes them up, thus revealing that everything was a dream.

Now accompanied by Sage, SpongeBob discovers that Poseidon is using Gary's slime to stay young and as soon as it runs out, he will have him enslaved with the rest of his previous dried snails. Arriving at Atlantic City, Sage warns the pair not to be distracted by the city's attractions, which they ignore. After a fun-filled night, SpongeBob and Patrick discover that they have lost the "Challenge Coin" that allowed them to be brave, but they still reach into Poseidon's palace. When they try to take Gary back home to Bikini Bottom, both are arrested and imprisoned in the dungeon. Back in Bikini Bottom, Plankton arrives at the Krusty Krab and a depressed Mr. Krabs gives him the formula because nothing is the same without SpongeBob. However, seeing Mr. Krabs so upset makes Plankton feel incredibly guilty about what he has done. Upon finding out that SpongeBob and Patrick will be executed in a luxury show in Poseidon's palace, Mr. Krabs, Squidward, Sandy, and a redeemed Plankton decide to go find and save them.

In prison, Sage reveals to SpongeBob and Patrick that the "Challenge Coin" never had powers and that the bravery came from themselves. When SpongeBob is about to be executed because Patrick had made a deal with Poseidon's Chancellor to save himself, Mr. Krabs, Squidward, Plankton, and Sandy burst into the show to testify in favor of SpongeBob. Along with Patrick, each recounts an experience they had in their childhood with SpongeBob when they were at a summer camp, as well as how important SpongeBob is to all of them, which earns the audience's gratitude. Afterwards, the group perform a musical number to distract Poseidon and take Gary away. Poseidon realizes the distraction and orders his guards to capture the group. SpongeBob and his friends manage to escape the guards and sneak around the palace to the exit, but are once again cornered when Otto leaves them behind.

Poseidon confronts them but gleefully orders the charges dropped for amusing him. However, he also does it on the condition that SpongeBob gives Gary to him and never come back for him. Remembering Sage's words, SpongeBob gains courage and refuses, arguing that his friends went out of their way to help him in the rescue, even when Poseidon threatens to kill them all. However, when Poseidon finds out that he has no friends and reveals that he needs the slime for his appearance, SpongeBob offers to be his friend and tells him that beauty is on the inside and that he doesn't need to hide it. This causes Poseidon to remove all his arrangements and return to his true appearance. Everyone accepts him for who he is and Poseidon allows SpongeBob to take Gary back home.

Otto drives the group back home while Poseidon releases all his enslaved snails to accompany them and Bikini Bottom ends up becoming a "sea snail refuge".

## Characters and Voice Cast

* SpongeBob SquarePants - Tom Kenny
	+ Young SpongeBob - Antonio Raul Corbo
* Patrick Star - Bill Fagerbakke
	+ Young Patrick - Jack Gore
* Squidward Tentacles - Rodger Bumpass
	+ Young Squidward - Jason Maybaum
* Mr. Krabs - Clancy Brown
* Plankton - Doug Lawrence
* Karen Plankton - Jill Taley
* Sandy Cheeks - Carolyn Lawrence
	+ Young Sandy - Presley Williams