By Gina Yarbrough
San Diego, CA–In a vibrant celebration of SpongeBob SquarePants’ 25th anniversary, Nickelodeon brought fans into the heart of Bikini Bottom during an exclusive panel at Comic-Con this week at the San Diego Convention Center.
This milestone celebration, held on Thursday in Hall H for the first time, featured the beloved voices behind the iconic characters.
The panel, titled “Celebrating 25 Years of Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants,” showcased the talents of Tom Kenny (SpongeBob), Bill Fagerbakke (Patrick), Carolyn Lawrence (Sandy), Rodger Bumpass (Squidward), Clancy Brown (Mr. Krabs), and Mr. Lawrence (Plankton). Joining them were executive producers Marc Ceccarelli and Vincent Waller. The event was moderated by Kel Mitchell, known for his role as Ed in “Good Burger.”
Fans were treated to an exclusive clip from “Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie,” which will be available on Netflix on August 2. The clip features Sandy and SpongeBob in a high-speed car chase, aided by the Cheeks family, voiced by Craig Robinson, Johnny Knoxville, and Grey DeLisle.
In addition, a preview of the one-hour special, “SpongeBob SquarePants: Kreepaway Kamp.” The fan-favorite characters reunite at Kamp Koral, where they are stalked by a mysterious figure. This thrilling episode will air this fall on Nickelodeon and Paramount+.
The veteran voice cast performed live table reads of memorable episodes. Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, Rodger Bumpass, and Clancy Brown reenacted the beloved 1999 pilot episode Help Wanted. Additionally, Carolyn Lawrence and Mr. Lawrence performed a live table read from the episode Single-Celled Defense, where Sandy teaches Plankton self-defense.
Iconic actor Mark Hamill appeared on the panel to announce his role as “The Flying Dutchman” in the upcoming film, “The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants.”
Produced by Nickelodeon Animation, Hamill will lend his voice to the gruff and goofy ghost-pirate who will face off against SpongeBob in this new underwater adventure, set to hit theaters on December 19, 2025.
Since its debut on July 17, 1999, SpongeBob SquarePants has become the most-watched animated series for 22 consecutive years, generating a vast universe of beloved characters, pop culture catchphrases, memes, theatrical releases, consumer products, and even a Tony award-winning Broadway musical. The show has garnered a global fan base and is one of the most widely distributed properties in Paramount history, seen in more than 180 markets and translated into over 30 languages.
