By Jonathan Klotz
| Published
In an era of needless spinoffs, prequels no one asked for, and legacy sequels to every property that was remotely popular, it’s rare for a creator to put their foot down and make it impossible for anyone to tarnish their original vision. Famously, Bill Waterston, the creator of Calvin and Hobbes, has refused to license his characters, Robert Zemeckis is the same way and has refused any suggestions for a Back to the Future 4, and Spongebob Squarepants creator Stephen Hillenburg was right there with them. Hillenburg didn’t want to make any spinoffs, which is why Netflix’s latest hit film, Plankton: The Movie, is another slap in the face of the genius cartoonist who answered the question, “Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?”
Plankton Saves The World
Following the success last year of Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie, Plankton: The Movie ends up involving Spongebob, but it’s primarily focused on the megalomaniac Plankton who wants the secret recipe to Krabby Patties in order to pursue his goal of world domination. Karen, Plankton’s computer wife, strikes out on her own to conquer the world after one argument too many, forcing the diminutive tyrant to get the help of Spongebob Squarepants to, reluctantly, save the world. To do, the pair go back to where it all began for Plankton and Karen: school.
The subplot of Plankton: The Movie is one of the reasons people tend to hate spinoffs and prequels that try to answer questions no one thought needed answering. On the one hand, Spongebob Squarepants lore is surprisingly deep, on the other, no one needed to know the exact moment Plankton decided to make it his life’s goal to get the secret formula for Krabby Patties. Though the film recovers and ends on a note that only works thanks to the overwhelmingly cheerful nature of Spongebob, it’s a reminder of why Hillenburg was so adamant against spinoffs.
The Creative Genius Of Stephen Hillenburg
If it were up to Stephen Hillenburg, Spongebob Squarepants would have ended after three seasons and a movie, but alas, his creation turned out to be Nickelodeon’s biggest success since green slime. Following his death in 2018 from ALS, his former studio went into overdrive, and cranked out the series Kamp Koral, The Patrick Star Show, and plans for multiple direct-to-streaming movies featuring the extensive cast of the series. Plankton: The Movie is only the second of these films so far, with three more in the works.
Though the CG animation of Plankton: The Movie lacks some of the charm of Spongebob Squarepants, Hillenburg’s timeless designs shine no matter the medium. It’s a shame that Nickelodeon didn’t even wait long after his death to cash in on the franchise, leaving a sour taste in the mouth of fans torn between their love for the admittedly fun films, and their respect for the man responsible for all of them. That’s resulted in a lot of social media reactions that are again, both praising the film for being fun (the musical numbers!), but also damning the studio for again, doing the exact opposite of Hillenburg’s wishes.
Regardless of how you might feel about it, there’s no denying that Plankton: The Movie is a success, reigning on top of Netflix from the moment it debuted, not just as the top kids movie, but the overall number one. Spongebob Squarepants is beloved by generations now that those who grew up with it are having kids of their own (and that is the most painful sentence you will read on the internet today), and the effusive sponge remains one of the most popular characters of all time. It’s only right that the supporting cast gets a chance to shine, but there had to have been a better way.
Plankton: The Movie is streaming on Netflix.
