SPONGEBOB Movie Coming in 2014

SpongeBob SquarePants is coming to the big-screen in late 2014. THR reports that the project will serve as the launch of Paramount's animation efforts. The studio had announced their plans to get into animation in July but had not announced the project until today. 

Here is what Viacom president and CEO Philippe Dauman had to say:

We will be releasing a SpongeBob movie at the end of 2014, which will serve to start off or be one of our films that starts off our new animation effort.

David Stainton recently left the studio abruptly, leaving president Adam Goodman in charge of all animation efforts. Up until this year, the studio has only been involved in distributing animated films from Jeffrey Katzenberg's DreamWorks Animation. That deal is ending at the close of this year. Dauman is not ruling out a potential renewal of the DWA deal. According to Dauman, each of the new animation projects is slated to cost less than $100 million, allowing for good financial returns. 

This will be the second time that a SpongeBob movie has been made. Another film was released in 2004, which grossed $85.4 million domestically. The film saw SpongeBob take leave from the town of Bikini Bottom to track down King Neptune's stolen crown. I don't remember seeing the original film, but this sounds like a smart move for Paramount. SpongeBob has fans internationally, so it should do well at the box office. Did you like the first movie, and are you looking forward to seeing this new movie?

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