The SpongeBob Movie: Search For SquarePants (PG)
Cast: Rodger Bumpass, Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, Carolyn Lawrence, Clancy Brown, Regina Hall, Mark HamillGenre: Comedy
Author(s): Matt Lieberman, Pam Brady
Director: Derek Drymon
Release Date: 20/12/2025
Running Time: 96mins
Country: US
Year: 2025
SpongeBob SquarePants is finally tall enough to ride the Shipwreck rollercoaster at the local amusement park but he chickens out at the last minute. Every hero's journey starts with one squish so SpongeBob resolves to prove his intestinal fortitude by earning a coveted Swashbuckler's Certificate. He accidentally summons The Flying Dutchman and feisty sidekick Barb, who set the whippersnapper a series of challenges that are a cunning ruse to get SpongeBob to break the pirate's curse.
LondonNet Film Review
The SpongeBob Movie: Search For SquarePants (PG) Film Review from LondonNet
An accursed salty seadog, who has been condemned to languish in ghostly form beneath the waves, exploits the delightful naivete of Bikini Bottom’s most trusting resident in the fourth big screen adventure for characters from Nickelodeon’s long-running animated TV series. It’s a big day for SpongeBob SquarePants (voiced by Tom Kenny). He is finally tall enough to ride the Shipwreck rollercoaster at the local amusement park with best friend Patrick Star (Bill Fagerbakke) – a nerve-racking rite-of-passage to finally disprove Mr Krabs’ (Clancy Brown) assertion that SpongeBob is a “bubble-blowing baby boy”…
The mere sight of the white-knuckle attraction overwhelms SpongeBob and he pulls out at the last minute, making up an excuse that he promised to ride with Mr Krabs. Thankfully, the fast food restaurateur perpetuates the lie to spare SpongeBob’s blushes and discloses his own proud seafaring history with The Flying Dutchman (Mark Hamill) that led him to be awarded a coveted Swashbucklers Certificate. Every hero’s journey starts with one squish so SpongeBob resolves to earn a certificate too.
He accidentally summons The Flying Dutchman and feisty sidekick Barb (Regina Hall), who set the whippersnapper a series of challenges to demonstrate his intestinal fortitude, panache, daring and bravery. However, this is a cunning ruse to get SpongeBob to unwittingly break the pirate’s curse. Once Mr Krabs learns that SpongeBob and Patrick are in peril, he leads a daredevil rescue mission flanked by Squidward Tentacles (Rodger Bumpass) and, of course, Gary the snail (Kenny again).
Directed at a brisk pace by Derek Drymon, The SpongeBob Movie: Search For SquarePants sidelines many series regulars including Plankton (Mr Lawrence) and Sandy Cheeks (voiced by Carolyn Lawrence) to gleefully contrive a mission-based escapade for the perpetually optimistic yellow protagonist, who excretes a brick every times he gets nervous. Kenny, Fagerbakke and co embrace their familiar roles with fizzing energy while Hamill shivers his timbers and blesses his barnacles as the wonderfully deranged pirate, who believes SpongeBob is his unlikely salvation.
Hall has comparatively little to do besides underscore the onscreen pantomime villainy. Visuals go into retina-searing overdrive when characters descend into the watery underworld. A script co-written by Pam Brady and Matt Lieberman trades in sniggering, family-friendly humour and childlike lunacy that will be familiar to fans of the TV show, like a gleeful play fight between SpongeBob and Patrick, slapping each other back and forth with their spilled intestines while Barb stares aghast and splutters, “What is happening?!” Catchy original song Big Guy performed by rapper Ice Spice aka Isis Gaston, who provides the voice of an amusement park ticket taker, is a bona fide ear worm to accompany SpongeBob’s transformation from absorbent zero to adorably hapless hero.
– Sarah Lee
Popular on LondonNet
London Cinemas Showing The SpongeBob Movie: Search For SquarePants
From: Friday 30th January
To: Thursday 5th February
Cineworld At The O2, Greenwich
Sat/Sun 11:20
Sat 11:30; Sun 11:45 14:15
Sat/Sun 11:00
Sat 10:00 11:40; Sun 09:50 13:30
Sat/Sun 10:10
Sat/Sun 10:10
Sat 10:00 11:40; Sun 10:30 11:30
Sat/Sun 11:20
Sat/Sun 11:20
Sat/Sun 10:10
Mon 12:00; Tue 11:00 14:05; Wed 11:10 13:50; Thu 11:00 14:15
Mon 11:00 15:05; Tue 11:40 15:20; Wed 12:25; Thu 11:25 14:25
Sat 11:40; Sun 12:10
Mon 11:40; Tue/Wed 11:00
Mon 11:40 13:50; Tue 11:05 14:05; Wed 12:35; Thu 11:00 14:40
Sun 09:55
Mon 11:00 13:55; Tue 11:00 15:50; Wed 11:10 13:15; Thu 11:15 13:15
Mon 11:10 13:50; Tue 11:00 15:20; Wed 11:00 13:10; Thu 11:45 14:05
Sat 10:55; Sun 10:25
From: Friday 6th February
To: Thursday 12th February
UK and Irish Cinemas Showing The SpongeBob Movie: Search For SquarePants
From: Friday 30th January
To: Thursday 5th February
Sat 12:00
Sat/Sun 12:00 (Sun) 15:00
Sat/Sun 12:15 (Sun) 15:00
Sat/Sun 12:15 (Sun) 15:00
Sun 11:00
Cineworld Aberdeen – Queens Link
Sat/Sun 10:00 12:20 14:50
Cineworld Aberdeen – Union Square
Sat/Sun 11:20
Sat/Sun 11:20
Sat/Sun 10:00
Sat/Sun 10:40 13:10
Sat/Sun 10:50
Sat 10:40 13:10; Sun 11:00 13:30
Sat 11:00; Sun 10:40
Sat/Sun 10:00 11:40
Sat/Sun 11:00
Cineworld Boldon Tyne And Wear
Sat/Sun 11:00
Sat/Sun 10:00 12:20
Sat/Sun 10:00 12:20
Sat/Sun 10:00 12:20
Sat/Sun 10:40 13:10
Sat/Sun 11:10
Sat/Sun 10:50
Sat/Sun 10:50
Sat/Sun 11:10
Sat 10:00 12:30; Sun 11:30
Sat/Sun 11:00
Sat/Sun 10:00 12:10
Sat/Sun 11:00
Sat/Sun 10:00 12:00
Sat/Sun 11:20
Sat 11:00; Sun 10:30
Sat/Sun 10:50
Sat/Sun 11:40
Cineworld Eastbourne At The Beacon
Sat/Sun 11:40
Sat 10:00
Sat/Sun 11:20
Sat 10:50
Sat/Sun 10:00 12:20
Sat/Sun 12:30
Cineworld Glasgow – Silverburn
Sat/Sun 10:10 11:30
Sat/Sun 11:00
Sat/Sun 12:00 14:40
Sat/Sun 10:00 12:20
Sat/Sun 10:00
Sat/Sun 10:40
Sat/Sun 11:00
Sat/Sun 10:20
Sat/Sun 10:00
Sat/Sun 11:20
Sat/Sun 11:20
Sat/Sun 11:15
Sat/Sun 10:00 12:20
Sat/Sun 10:00 12:20
Sat/Sun 10:00 11:00 (Sun) 13:30
Sat 11:15 12:30; Sun 10:20 12:00
Sat/Sun 10:00 12:30
Sat/Sun 10:30 11:40
Sat/Sun 10:50
Sat/Sun 10:40
Sat/Sun 11:00 13:30
Tue-Thu 16:30
Sat/Sun 11:10
Sat/Sun 10:50
Sat/Sun 10:00
Sat/Sun 11:00
Sat/Sun 11:40
Sat/Sun 11:20
Sat/Sun 10:10 12:40
Sat/Sun 11:10
Sat/Sun 11:20
Sat/Sun 11:20
Mon/Tue 12:20
Sat/Sun 11:20
Sat/Sun 10:20
Sat/Sun 11:40
Sat/Sun 11:30
Sat/Sun 10:00 12:20
Sat/Sun 11:00
Sat 10:00
Sat/Sun 12:00 (Sun) 15:00
Sat 12:20; Sun 12:00 13:50
Sun 15:00
Sat/Sun 12:00 (Sun) 15:00
Sat/Sun 12:15
Sat/Sun 10:00 11:00
Sat/Sun 10:40
Sat 11:30; Sun 12:00
Mon-Wed 13:00
Sat/Sun 10:20
Mon 10:00 12:30 15:00
Tue 11:00
Sat/Sun 10:00 12:30 15:00
Sat/Sun 10:20
Fri 12:00 14:20; Sat/Sun 10:15 11:55 (Sat) 12:00 (Sun) 14:20
Mon 10:00 12:15 14:45; Tue-Thu 14:45
Mon 10:40 13:10 15:40; Tue/Wed 15:40
Sat/Sun 10:00 11:15
Sat/Sun 10:20
Sat/Sun 10:00 11:30
Mon 10:20 12:50 15:20
Sat/Sun 10:30
Sat/Sun 11:30
Sat/Sun 12:00
Sat 10:10 12:00; Sun 10:20 11:10 12:50
Sat/Sun 10:00 12:30 15:00 (Sun)
Fri 15:30; Sat/Sun 10:10 12:15 14:40
Sat/Sun 11:00
Sat/Sun 12:15
Sat/Sun 10:30
Sat 11:10; Sun 11:40
Sat/Sun 10:00
Sat/Sun 10:30
Sat/Sun 10:00 11:20
Sat/Sun 10:40 11:40
Mon 12:10 14:40
Sat/Sun 11:20 13:50
Sat 11:30 14:00; Sun 10:30 14:40
Sat/Sun 11:30 12:15
Sat/Sun 11:30
Sat/Sun 10:30
Odeon Luxe Birmingham Broadway Plaza
Sat 11:30; Sun 11:50
Sat/Sun 10:00 11:10 (Sun) 11:30 (Sat) 14:00
Sat/Sun 11:40
Sat/Sun 10:15 11:15
Sat 10:10 12:00; Sun 10:00 11:40
Mon/Thu 12:00
Sat/Sun 10:10 12:00
Odeon Luxe Edinburgh Wester Hailes
Sat 10:10 11:40; Sun 10:15 11:40
Sat 11:10 13:30; Sun 11:20 13:45
Odeon Luxe Glasgow Springfield Quay
Mon-Thu 16:00
Sat/Sun 10:10 14:00
Sat/Sun 10:15 12:00 (Sat)
Sat/Sun 10:00 11:20
Sat 11:00 12:00; Sun 10:50 12:00
Odeon Luxe Liverpool Switch Island
Mon 16:10
Sat/Sun 10:10 11:10
Sat/Sun 10:00 11:40
Sat/Sun 10:00 12:30
Sat/Sun 10:10 12:40
Sat/Sun 11:30
Sat/Sun 10:15 11:15
Sat/Sun 11:20 13:55
Sat 10:40 12:00; Sun 10:00 11:20
Sat/Sun 10:00 11:15
Mon 15:40; Tue 16:00; Wed 15:50
Fri 11:00; Sat/Sun 10:10 11:50
Mon 11:15 13:45
Sat 11:15 14:00; Sun 11:30 14:15
Mon 11:00 13:30
Sat/Sun 12:15
Sat/Sun 10:00 11:45
Sat/Sun 10:00 12:20 14:50
Sat/Sun 11:00
Mon 12:00 14:30
Sat/Sun 11:00
Mon 11:15 13:45
Sat/Sun 10:00 12:20 14:50
Sat/Sun 10:00
Sat/Sun 10:00 12:00 14:50
Sat 11:15 14:00; Sun 10:45 14:00
Sat/Sun 10:00 11:30 14:00
Sat 10:10 11:10; Sun 10:10 11:30
Mon 10:00 12:50 15:20
Sat/Sun 10:00 12:20 14:50
Sat/Sun 12:15
Sat/Sun 10:10 11:50
Sat/Sun 10:10
Mon-Thu 11:00 12:00 (Mon/Tue/Thu) 13:00
Sat/Sun 11:20
Sat 10:30; Sun 10:00 12:20
Sat/Sun 10:00 11:15
Mon 12:10 14:40
Sat 10:30 12:15; Sun 10:35 12:15
Sat/Sun 11:20
Sat/Sun 10:00 12:20 14:50
Sat/Sun 11:15 14:35
Sat/Sun 12:00 (Sun) 15:00
Sat/Sun 11:00 (Sun) 12:00 14:35
Sat/Sun 12:15 (Sun) 15:00
Sat/Sun 12:00 (Sun) 15:00
Sat/Sun 12:15 (Sun) 15:00
Sat 14:45
Sat 12:20; Sun 12:00 13:50
Sun 11:15
Scott Cinemas Bristol, Westbury Park
Sun 11:00
Wed 12:05
Mon 18:10; Tue 16:15; Wed 16:50; Thu 18:00
Showcase Cinema De Lux Bluewater
Sat 10:00 11:55 14:20; Sun 11:20 13:45
Showcase Cinema De Lux Coventry
Mon-Thu 11:30
Sat 11:30; Sun 10:05
Showcase Cinema De Lux Glasgow
Mon 11:30 13:40 15:50; Tue/Wed 13:10 15:40 (Tue); Thu 13:45 16:00
Mon 11:30 16:40; Tue 11:40; Thu 11:45
Showcase Cinema De Lux Leicester
Fri 17:40; Mon-Wed 17:15; Thu 16:05
Showcase Cinema De Lux Liverpool
Mon 11:55; Tue 14:05; Wed 14:20; Thu 13:05
Showcase Cinema De Lux Nottingham
Sat 12:05 14:25; Sun 11:25 13:45
Showcase Cinema De Lux Paisley
Wed 13:30 15:55
Showcase Cinema De Lux Peterborough
Mon/Tue 11:30 17:20; Wed 11:30 17:30; Thu 11:30 16:15
Showcase Cinema De Lux Reading
Sat 11:35 13:40; Sun 10:20 12:40 15:00
Showcase Cinema De Lux Southampton
Sat 10:10 12:20 15:00; Sun 11:00 13:20
Showcase Cinema De Lux Teesside
Mon 16:00; Tue 16:40; Wed 11:35; Thu 11:55 16:50
Mon-Wed 18:00; Thu 16:50
Sat 12:20; Sun 12:00 13:50
Sat/Sun 12:00 (Sun) 15:00
Sat/Sun 12:00
Mon 11:25; Tue/Thu 11:55; Wed 11:00 13:35
Mon 11:50 14:25; Tue 14:30
Mon 11:10 14:25; Tue 11:15 13:25; Wed 13:50; Thu 12:45
Vue Basingstoke Festival Place
Mon 11:20 13:45; Tue 12:00 13:10; Wed 11:20 13:40; Thu 11:25 14:00
Tue 11:25; Wed 12:50
Mon 11:10 13:30; Tue/Thu 13:05; Wed 13:20
Mon/Wed 14:55; Tue 13:30; Thu 14:40
Mon 11:10 11:50 14:40; Tue 11:25 15:45; Wed 11:10 13:40; Thu 11:00 11:35 13:40
Mon 13:05; Tue 11:10 13:10; Wed 14:45; Thu 13:25
Mon 11:40; Tue 11:05 15:30; Wed 11:00 15:20; Thu 12:00
Mon/Wed 11:00 13:15 (Mon); Tue 11:20; Thu 12:00
Mon 11:30 13:45; Tue 11:05 13:10; Wed 11:00 11:55 15:40; Thu 11:25 15:35
Mon/Wed/Thu 11:00; Tue 11:25
Mon 11:25 13:45; Tue 11:20 11:55 15:05; Wed 11:00 13:20; Thu 11:00 11:55 14:15
Mon/Tue 11:00 11:55 14:15 (Mon) 15:45 (Tue); Wed/Thu 11:50 14:15
Mon/Thu 14:25; Tue 13:10; Wed 14:55
Wed 11:00; Thu 11:40
Mon 11:20 13:25; Tue/Wed 11:00 13:20; Thu 11:05 13:25
Mon 11:00; Tue 11:55 15:25; Wed 11:35 15:35; Thu 11:30 14:00
Mon 10:45 13:05; Tue 11:15; Wed 11:00; Thu 11:30
Mon 11:00 13:10; Tue 11:20 15:05; Wed 11:25 15:50; Thu 11:15 15:05
Mon 13:10; Tue/Wed 13:35; Thu 12:40
Mon 12:50; Tue 11:15 14:00; Wed 11:55 14:40; Thu 12:35
Mon 13:35; Wed 11:10; Thu 11:25
Mon 15:50; Tue 15:35; Wed 14:20; Thu 15:10
Mon 11:05 15:50; Tue 11:55 15:05; Wed 11:55 15:40; Thu 11:55 15:25
Mon 11:10; Tue 11:00 14:40; Wed 11:00 15:00; Thu 11:00 14:50
Mon 10:20 11:30 14:30; Tue 11:30 15:10; Wed 11:00 15:25; Thu 11:40 15:20
Mon 11:00 13:40; Tue 11:55 14:15; Wed 11:55 14:25; Thu 11:10 13:30
Mon 11:20 15:45; Tue 11:00 15:40; Wed 11:10 15:55; Thu 11:10 14:10
Sat 09:35
Wed 11:00
Mon 11:40; Tue 11:35; Thu 11:00 13:20
Mon 11:55 14:40; Tue 11:00 12:35; Wed 11:20 12:40; Thu 11:50 14:10
Sat 10:00
Mon 11:00 15:15; Tue 11:25 13:55; Wed 12:20; Thu 11:00 13:50
Mon 11:50 14:05; Tue 11:10 15:40; Wed 11:00 13:15 14:45; Thu 11:20 15:10
Mon 11:40 13:55; Tue 11:10 15:55; Wed 11:05 15:35; Thu 11:25 15:40
Mon 11:00 13:20; Tue 12:00; Wed 11:00 13:00; Thu 11:30 14:40
Mon 14:00; Tue 15:50; Thu 11:00 15:55
Mon 11:15 13:25; Tue 11:15 14:40; Wed 11:20 13:20; Thu 11:00 13:40
Mon 11:20 13:30; Tue 11:50 14:25; Wed 11:00 14:10; Thu 11:05 14:25
Mon 11:05; Tue 11:20; Thu 11:25
Mon 11:40 14:05; Tue/Thu 11:00; Wed 11:50
Mon/Wed/Thu 11:00
Mon 11:20 13:30; Tue 11:00 14:10; Wed 11:15 13:30; Thu 11:00 14:00
Mon 10:40 11:50 13:00; Wed 14:35; Thu 14:25
Mon 11:00 13:00; Tue 11:35 14:20; Wed 11:15 12:40; Thu 11:55 14:05
Sat 10:05; Sun 09:00
Vue Manchester Quayside (Media City UK)
Mon 12:40; Tue 12:00; Wed 11:20; Thu 11:15
Mon 11:00 15:50; Tue 11:35 14:20; Wed 11:45 15:55; Thu 11:15 13:40
Mon 13:30; Tue 12:50; Wed 13:00; Thu 14:30
Mon 13:40; Tue 11:00 13:35; Wed 12:35; Thu 11:30 14:15
Mon 11:30 15:35; Tue 11:20 13:40; Wed 12:35; Thu 15:20
Sat 10:00; Sun 10:20
Mon 14:00; Tue 11:00 14:25; Wed 11:30 13:55; Thu 11:55 14:20
Mon 11:15 15:55; Tue 11:00 15:20; Wed 11:20 15:45; Thu 11:30 14:30
Mon 11:00 13:15; Tue 11:00 14:25; Wed 11:15 13:25; Thu 13:00
Mon 12:00; Tue 11:40 14:15; Wed 11:00 13:05; Thu 11:55 13:55
Mon 11:15; Tue/Wed 11:00; Thu 11:40
Mon 11:10 13:30; Tue/Wed 11:00 13:20; Thu 13:00
Mon 11:40 15:15; Tue 11:00 15:00; Wed 11:00 15:35; Thu 11:05 14:55
Tue 13:45; Wed 13:30; Thu 13:00
Mon/Thu 10:00 12:20 (Thu); Tue 10:20 12:45; Wed 10:00 15:40
Mon 11:35; Tue 11:20; Wed 11:00; Thu 11:55
Mon/Tue 11:00 13:20 (Tue); Wed 11:20 13:40; Thu 11:15 13:45
Mon 11:45 14:50; Tue 11:05 14:25; Wed 11:15 13:25; Thu 11:55 14:00
Mon 11:05 11:50; Tue 13:15; Wed 13:10; Thu 11:00 11:45 14:05
Mon 11:30; Tue 14:00
Fri 15:10; Sat 09:20 11:30; Sun 10:10
Mon/Tue/Thu 11:00; Wed 11:40
Mon 11:05 13:40; Tue 11:20 15:35; Wed 11:05 13:25; Thu 11:00 13:05
Mon 15:35; Tue 12:30; Wed 11:15; Thu 13:00
Mon 11:35; Tue 11:00; Wed 11:25
Mon 11:10 13:15; Tue 14:20; Wed 11:30 13:30; Thu 11:00 11:55 14:25
Mon 11:00 13:20; Tue 11:05 15:35; Wed 14:45; Thu 11:00 13:45
From: Friday 6th February
To: Thursday 12th February
Showcase Cinema De Lux Southampton
Sun 12:50
