When Gary the Snail is snail-napped by the vain King Poseidon, SpongeBob and Patrick embark on a hilarious adventure to the Lost City of Atlantic City to bring him home. Along the way, they receive guidance from a wise tumbleweed named Sage and discover that the power of friendship is stronger than any obstacle.
Information |
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|---|---|
Language |
English |
Country |
United States |
Premiere date |
August 14, 2020 |
Running time |
91 minutes |
Genre |
Animation Adventure Comedy Family Fantasy |
Budget |
$60,000,000 |
Box Office |
$4,810,790 |
Crew |
|
Directed by |
Tim Hill |
Produced by |
Ryan Harris |
Written by |
Tim Hill |
Music by |
Hans Zimmer |
Cinematography |
Peter Lyons Collister |
Edited by |
Michael Hassman |
Production Co. |
Paramount Animation |
Distributed by |
Paramount Pictures |
Official Trailer
The Plot
Morning Routine in Bikini Bottom
The story opens with a panoramic shot of Bikini Bottom before settling on SpongeBob’s pineapple house. Inside, Gary the Snail wakes his owner up, leaving a slime trail across SpongeBob's face in the process. SpongeBob immediately rushes to his window to yell "Good morning" to his best friend, Patrick Star. Patrick yells "Good morning" back, and the two engage in a loud, repetitive loop of greetings that escalates until Squidward Tentacles rushes to his own window to silence them. In the chaos, SpongeBob and Patrick yell "Good morning" to Squidward, who slams his window shut in frustration, accidentally catching his nose in the frame. SpongeBob then proceeds to feed Gary, launching into a montage of their daily routine. However, in his haste to get to work early, SpongeBob rushes out the door to the Krusty Krab, leaving Gary behind, looking sad and lonely.
Schemes and Failures
At the Krusty Krab, SpongeBob unintentionally annoys Squidward with his high-energy shenanigans. Mr. Krabs emerges from his office, barking nautical commands for SpongeBob to raise the colors and hoist the mainsail, while ordering Squidward to deploy the smokestacks. Meanwhile, across the street at the Chum Bucket, Plankton is in the midst of plotting another scheme to steal the Krabby Patty secret formula. His computer wife, Karen, interrupts him, pointing to his "Wall of Failures"—a massive display showcasing his history of defeats. Karen argues that SpongeBob is the actual cause of all his failures, not Mr. Krabs. Dismissing her analysis, Plankton ignores her advice and proceeds with his latest plan.
The Robot and the King's Vanity
Back at the Krusty Krab, Sandy Cheeks arrives with a new invention: a robot named Otto. She presents Otto to Mr. Krabs, who immediately falls in love with the machine upon realizing it is free, has no emotions, and can be used to fire employees without remorse. After a series of humorous antics, however, Mr. Krabs discards Otto into Plankton’s garbage can, where Karen decides to adopt the robot. Meanwhile, the scene shifts to the Lost City of Atlantic City, where the vain King Poseidon discovers a single wrinkle near his eye. Terrified of aging, he demands his Chancellor bring him a snail, as he uses snail slime as a rejuvenating face cream. When the Chancellor reveals that the snail supply has run dry, Poseidon orders the immediate acquisition of a new snail, leading to the posting of a Royal Decree seeking snails throughout the ocean.
The Pickle Heist
That night, Mr. Krabs orders SpongeBob to clean the Krusty Krab. After a cleaning montage, SpongeBob prepares to leave, but the camera zooms in on a jar of pickles to reveal Plankton disguised as one of them. Plankton operates a giant mechanical claw to lift the glass cover off a Krabby Patty. Just as he is about to succeed, SpongeBob re-enters the kitchen searching for his keys. His sudden entrance startles Plankton, causing him to fall into a puddle and endure a series of painful, comical mishaps that end with him landing in the deep fryer. Lying defeated, Plankton finally realizes that Karen was right: SpongeBob is indeed the sole factor behind all his failures.
The Disappearance of Gary
Plankton spots one of King Poseidon’s Royal Decrees and hatches a brilliant plan: if he gives Gary to Poseidon, SpongeBob will leave Bikini Bottom to rescue him, leaving the Krusty Krab undefended. Plankton successfully kidnaps Gary. The next morning, a distraught SpongeBob tears his house apart looking for his pet. He reminisces about their first meeting at Camp Coral in a flashback. Patrick arrives and reveals he found a "Lost Snail" poster, which prompts them to search for clues. They eventually find the Royal Decree, leading SpongeBob to deduce that Gary has been snail-napped and taken to the Lost City of Atlantic City. SpongeBob and Patrick prepare for the rescue mission but lack transportation. Seizing the opportunity, Plankton offers them a free ride in a vehicle driven by the robot Otto, ensuring SpongeBob leaves town on a dangerous journey from which he might never return.
The Inferno Saloon
With SpongeBob gone, the Krusty Krab descends into chaos; Mr. Krabs and Squidward cannot cook, and the customers turn into savages. Meanwhile, on the road, SpongeBob and Patrick fall asleep and enter a dream sequence where they find themselves in a town called "Goner Gulch." They enter a bar called "The Inferno Saloon," where they meet a wise, talking tumbleweed named Sage. Sage presents them with a "Challenge Coin," claiming it will give SpongeBob the courage necessary for his quest.
Inside the saloon, the duo is tasked with freeing the trapped souls of ghost pirates. After a musical number involving a gambling spirit, the evil owner, El Diablo, captures SpongeBob and Patrick in a cage. They manage to escape, but El Diablo attacks them with a knife. Thinking quickly, the duo opens the saloon's curtains, letting in sunlight that disintegrates El Diablo and frees the trapped souls. El Diablo briefly returns as a smoke monster, but is defeated. SpongeBob and Patrick wake up from the dream, but find that Sage is still with them. He instructs them to look into the "Window of Meanwhile," a magical device revealing that Poseidon is currently using Gary’s slime as face cream. Horrified, the heroes rush toward Atlantic City.
The Fall of the Krusty Krab and the Trap of Atlantic City
Back in Bikini Bottom, Mr. Krabs is devastated by the loss of his business. Plankton enters the empty restaurant and demands the formula. A depressed Mr. Krabs hands the tiny bottle over without a fight. Plankton initially celebrates, but seeing his rival so broken makes him feel empty and guilty. Meanwhile, SpongeBob and Patrick arrive in the dazzling Lost City of Atlantic City. Sage warns them not to lose focus, but the duo is immediately distracted by roller coasters, food, and gambling. After a montage of excess, they wake up confused and realized they have lost the Challenge Coin. Regaining their senses, they rush to the palace stage, interrupting a show to find Gary. Poseidon refuses to hand over the snail and orders his guards to arrest SpongeBob and Patrick.
The Rescue Team Assembles
Sandy Cheeks discovers SpongeBob is missing and storms into the Krusty Krab to blame Mr. Krabs and Squidward. As they plead their innocence, a news report plays on the television announcing the arrest of SpongeBob and Patrick in Atlantic City. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Mr. Krabs, Squidward, Sandy, and a remorseful Plankton band together. They embark on a dangerous journey to break their friends out of Poseidon's dungeon.
The Trial and The Flashbacks
In Poseidon's dungeon, SpongeBob and Patrick argue over the lost Challenge Coin before being dragged to a show execution. Just as the executioner prepares to strike, Mr. Krabs, Squidward, Sandy, and Plankton burst onto the scene to intervene. To save SpongeBob, they each recount how he changed their lives, leading to a series of flashbacks from Camp Coral.
Sandy recalls meeting a young SpongeBob who encouraged her scientific ambitions when she felt out of place. Patrick remembers being a homesick, lonely child on a log until SpongeBob befriended him and introduced him to jellyfishing. Squidward recounts the Annual Camp Coral Talent Show, where he desperately wanted to win. Although SpongeBob and Patrick won over the crowd, they visited a crying Squidward in his cabin to tell him he had actually won the "Campy Award," boosting his confidence. Finally, Mr. Krabs gives a speech about how SpongeBob inspired him to open the Krusty Krab, declaring that SpongeBob himself is the secret formula. Following the speeches, the crew performs a musical number titled "Secret to the Formula" to distract Poseidon while SpongeBob swaps Gary with a wooden decoy.
The Standoff with Poseidon
Poseidon discovers the ruse and orders his guards to attack. The gang retreats into a suit of knight armor, controlling it together to fight off the guards in an intense climax. However, they are eventually cornered and rounded up. Poseidon, amused by their tenacity, offers to let them all go on one condition: they must hand over Gary and never return. SpongeBob is devastated but Sage appears to remind him that the courage he sought was never in the coin, but inside him all along.
SpongeBob defies Poseidon, stating he loves Gary too much to give him up. He thanks his friends for risking their lives for him and points out that Poseidon has no loyal friends. Poseidon scoffs but, after asking his subjects, realizes SpongeBob is right—he is alone. The King bursts into tears. SpongeBob offers his friendship, provided Poseidon releases Gary. Poseidon fears that without the snail, he cannot hide his wrinkles. SpongeBob explains that appearances don't matter and that true beauty is found inside. Taking this advice to heart, Poseidon removes his wig, neck clip, dentures, chest plate, and girdle, revealing his true form.
Refuge and Dedication
Liberated by his new outlook, Poseidon salutes SpongeBob for his bravery. He releases Gary and all the other enslaved snails. SpongeBob proposes turning Bikini Bottom into a sea snail refuge, to which everyone agrees. The movie concludes with the gang returning home, accompanied by the freed snails. The screen fades to a dedication honoring the original creator of SpongeBob SquarePants, Stephen Hillenburg, as the theme song plays.
Top Cast
- Tom Kenny as SpongeBob SquarePants
- Bill Fagerbakke as Patrick Star
- Keanu Reeves as Sage
- Clancy Brown as Mr. Krabs
- Rodger Bumpass as Squidward Tentacles
- Mr. Lawrence as Plankton
- Matt Berry as King Poseidon
- Awkwafina as Otto
- Carolyn Lawrence as Sandy Cheeks
- Snoop Dogg as The Gambler
Movie Collection
- The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004)
- The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water (2015)
- The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run (2020)
- Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie (2024)
- The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants (2025)
