Nickelodeon Reportedly Airing 'Spongebob Squarepants' Marathon in Honor of Stephen Hillenburg

Spongebob Squarepants creator Stephen Hillenburg recently passed away, and it looks like [...]

By Jenna Anderson

Spongebob Squarepants creator Stephen Hillenburg recently passed away, and it looks like Nickelodeon might be honoring his memory in a very special way.

According to the fan account NickAndMore, Nickelodeon will be airing an over eight-hour marathon of Spongebob on this Sunday, December 2nd. The marathon is reportedly expected to begin with the very first episode of the show at 12pm EST, before covering an array of other "classics".

ComicBook.com has reached out to Nickelodeon about the marathon, and they confirmed that it will be happening on December 2nd.

Hillenburg began his career as a marine biologist, before pursuing a career in animation in the late 1980s. He first served as a director and producer for many episodes Rocko's Modern Life, eventually taking on the role of creative director. During and even before that time, he began developing the idea for SpongeBob Squarepants, which he turned into a reality in 1996. The series then premiered in 1999, and has become a worldwide cultural phenomenon in the years since.

According to Variety, Hillenburg's cause of death was ALS, which the creator revealed he had been diagnosed with back in March 2017.

"We are incredibly saddened by the news that Steve Hillenburg has passed away following a battle with ALS," Nickelodeon said in a statement. "He was a beloved friend and long-time creative partner to everyone at Nickelodeon, and our hearts go out to his entire family. Steve imbued SpongeBob SquarePants with a unique sense of humor and innocence that has brought joy to generations of kids and families everywhere. His utterly original characters and the world of Bikini Bottom will long stand as a reminder of the value of optimism, friendship and the limitless power of imagination."

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