Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Viewers Can’t Stop Freaking Out Over the SpongeBob SquarePants Balloon

Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade is a big event every year for families and people who just love the […]

December 1, 2019, 8:18pm

Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade is a big event every year for families and people who just love the holidays. One float attracted a lot of attention this year, SpongeBob Squarepants. Now it’s been a bit of a weird time with the lovable Sponge in past years as the balloon has been through a couple of different iterations. This year’s design was the third one and he was floating over Manhattan with his fists clenched and his pet snail Gary perched on his head. Now, that might sound pretty innocuous but, the positioning of the character’s backside prompted some pretty funny tweets from the people sitting at home. There are always some oddities when the parade rolls around, whether it concerns weather, the musical performances, or the balloons themselves malfunctioning in some sort of way. As for SpongeBob, he’s been around the event since 2004 when The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie premiered. That balloon got retired in 2006, but the public demanded more of the character so he was back in 2008. This version was made partly to promote Sponge on the Run, the latest SpongeBob film to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the show.

Videos by ComicBook.com

That new movie was originally titled The SpongeBob Movie: It’s a Wonderful Sponge. It was going to serve as a new origin story for SpongeBob. Those elements still bubble within Sponge on the Run, as the trailer shows a young version of the character meeting Gary for the first time. That chance meeting gives some weight to their journey together and ties into Gary’s disappearance in the movie.

Tom Kenny returns to voice SpongeBob SquarePants, and he’s joined by returning franchise stars Bill Fagerbakke, Clancy Brown, Lori Alan, Rodger Bumpass, and Carolyn Lawrence. Kelly Marie Tran, Awkwafina, and Reggie Watts are also in the fold in undisclosed roles. Long-time SpongeBob writer Tom Hill directs the new film and Hans Zimmer will provide the score.

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run is set to hit theaters on May 22, 2020.

Here he is!

This is @SpongeBob’s third balloon in the #MacysParade! When he made his debut, he was the first square balloon in the Parade. 🍍🌊 #MacysParade @nbc pic.twitter.com/4w8HG2N763
— Macy’s (@Macys) November 28, 2019

Pink & The Brain Vibes

Gary looks like he’s about to take control of the world
— viewable (@ADankBush) November 28, 2019

A little clarity?

YOU CAN’T TELL ME HOW BIG THESE BALLOONS ARE WITH CONVENTIONAL TERMS. I need thematically appropriate units of measurement!!!!! You need to say “Spongebob is the same height as x many Brillo pads” or else I WON’T. UNder. STAND.
— 🎄 Darc the Halls 🎄 (@the_darce_side) November 28, 2019

Mistaken Identity?

The Spongebob balloon has passed by and my mom told me that it was Cheesebob Squarepants after what I called the loveable sponge as a kid. He looks like cheese, ok? I was like 3
— DaydreamGlitterbug @ Winter Waiting (@DGlitterbug) November 28, 2019