SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run Director Speaks on How Coronavirus Affected the Release

SpongeBob’s latest movie has been moved around due to the coronavirus pandemic, and the director took some time to talk about adapting the release to an uncertain period. The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run is coming with a 2021 projected release date. Now, Tim Hill has to face a reality where the hardworking cast and crew don’t get their bow in front of an adoring crowd. A lot of time and money goes into these animated features. To have all those days go by and not have the big premier probably stings. But, Hill is keeping it moving right now and staying positive. He told Looper about how the team was coping. Sponge on the Run will still get out to the fans. (In fact, strangely enough, Canadian fans have probably already seen the feature as it has been playing in theaters north of the border for some of the summer.)

“It’s terrible. I was hoping for a big fanfare and a great premiere and seeing all the people I worked with, and doing a cast and crew screening, being able to at least thank people, which never happened,” Hill explained. “It was just what we’re doing now, like, ‘Bye. Movie’s over.’ It didn’t feel natural, for sure.”

Comicbook.com actually chronicled the fact that international markets will get SpongeBob’s latest on Netflix. Spencer Perry explained.

“The upcoming SpongeBob: Sponge on the Run has been on the run from its initial release date. The third outing of the animated sponge was originally supposed to come out in May of this year but was delayed until August only to be pushed back again to an early 2021 debut,” Perry wrote. “When the film arrives it won’t be on the big screen either, premiering on VOD and later the CBS All Access streaming service in the US. Internationally though the film has found a new home as Variety reports Netflix will distribute the film in every territory but China, Paramount Pictures will reportedly debut the film in that market on their own at some point.”

ViacomCBS also put out a statement when the movie got pushed back.

“We are thrilled to have The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run, a premier, first-run movie from one of ViacomCBS’ biggest brands, join CBS All Access’ expanding slate of franchise content from across ViacomCBS,” said Marc DeBevoise, chief digital officer at ViacomCBS and president and CEO of ViacomCBS Digital said earlier in the year. “This launch will be perfectly timed with our continued expansion and planned rebranding of the service in early 2021, as we welcome SpongeBob and the gang from Bikini Bottom to the service in the biggest way possible.”

Will you be catching SpongeBob on streaming next year? Let us know in the comments!