Beneath the waves, the pineapple abode is brimming with excitement as Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Animation unveiled fresh faces for their eagerly anticipated film, "The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants," on Tuesday. Joining the marine adventure are renowned actress Regina Hall, the talented Sherry Cola, the hilarious Arturo Castro, the comedic legend George Lopez, and the chart-topping rapper Ice Spice, who will also lend her four-time Grammy-nominated vocals to an original tune for the motion picture.
Returning to their iconic roles are Tom Kenny as SpongeBob SquarePants, Clancy Brown as Mr. Krabs, Rodger Bumpass as Squidward, Bill Fagerbakke as Patrick, Carolyn Lawrence as Sandy, Mr. Lawrence as Plankton, and Mark Hamill as the enigmatic Flying Dutchman, all under the directorial guidance of Derek Drymon and the pen of Pam Brady and Matt Lieberman.
In this cinematic escapade, SpongeBob and his friends dive into the ocean's depths to confront the spectral Flying Dutchman. Slated for a festive December release, the film promises an underwater odyssey like never before.
At the Annecy International Animation Festival in France, Ramsey Naito, President of Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Animation, revealed the star-studded cast during a studio showcase. The event teased upcoming features and series from both studios, including Chris Miller's "Smurfs" movie, "PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie," "The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender," and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 2." Drymon presented the complete first act of "The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants," while Miller gave a sneak peek of the first 20 minutes of "Smurfs," starring Rihanna as Smurfette, who according to Miller, possessed "a profound understanding of Smurf lore, far surpassing my own." The voice ensemble boasts John Goodman, James Corden, Nick Offerman, Sandra Oh, Natasha Lyonne, Amy Sedaris, Daniel Levy, Octavia Spencer, Nick Kroll, Hannah Waddingham, Alex Winter, Maya Erskine, Billie Lourd, Xolo Maridueña, Marshmello, Jimmy Kimmel, and Kurt Russell.
The event culminated with the premiere of two animated shorts: "SpongeBob: Order Up," directed by Sean Charmatz, which will precede "Smurfs" in theaters this July, and "Chrome Alone 2: Lost in New Jersey," a "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" short helmed by Kent Seki, set to debut alongside "The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants" in December, adding another layer of excitement to the animation lover's calendar.
