You can skip 4 of the 9 titles in the SpongeBob SquarePants franchise and still follow the main story: Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years, The Patrick Star Show, Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie, and Plankton: The Movie. The essentials (5 titles) take about 154 hours instead of 203 hours.
- Skippable
- 4
- Essentials
- 5
- Time saved
- 49 hours
Safe to skip
- Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years2021 · Series · 14h 18m · optionalA CGI prequel: 10-year-old SpongeBob and friends at summer camp.
- The Patrick Star Show2021 · Series · 31h 55m · optionalPatrick hosts a TV show from his family's home.
- Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie2024 · Film · 1h 27m · optionalBikini Bottom is scooped from the sea, and SpongeBob goes with Sandy to Texas.
- Plankton: The Movie2025 · Film · 1h 23m · optionalPlankton's computer wife Karen goes rogue and tries to take over the world.
Why each one is optional
What each skippable title is, what it adds if you do watch it, and who is in it.
No. 01 · 2021 · Series · 14h 18m · optional
Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years
SpongeBob and friends spend the summer catching jellyfish, building camp-fires, and swimming in Lake Yuckymuck at Camp Coral, located in the Kelp Forest.
Why it matters: A CGI prequel: 10-year-old SpongeBob and friends at summer camp.
- Starring
- Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, and Rodger Bumpass
- Creator
- Vincent Waller, Marc Ceccarelli, Luke Brookshier, Mr. Lawrence, Kaz, and Andrew Goodman
- Scores
- IMDb 3.6
- Episodes
- 75 across 2 seasons
No. 02 · 2021 · Series · 31h 55m · optional
The Patrick Star Show
Follow a younger Patrick Star living at home with his family, where he hosts his own variety show for the neighborhood from his television-turned-bedroom.
Why it matters: Patrick hosts a TV show from his family's home.
- Starring
- Bill Fagerbakke, Thomas F. Wilson, and Cree Summer
- Creator
- Luke Brookshier, Marc Ceccarelli, Andrew Goodman, Kaz, Mr. Lawrence, and Vincent Waller
- Scores
- IMDb 3.6
- Episodes
- 162 across 6 seasons
No. 03 · 2024 · Film · 1h 27m · optional
Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie
When Bikini Bottom is scooped from the ocean, scientific squirrel Sandy Cheeks and her pal SpongeBob SquarePants saddle up for Texas to save their town.
Why it matters: Bikini Bottom is scooped from the sea, and SpongeBob goes with Sandy to Texas.
- Starring
- Carolyn Lawrence, Tom Kenny, and Clancy Brown
- Director
- Liza Johnson
- Box office
- $100 million on a $100 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 3.6 · Rotten Tomatoes 50%
No. 04 · 2025 · Film · 1h 23m · optional
Plankton: The Movie
Plankton's tangled love story with his sentient computer wife goes sideways when she takes a stand — and decides to destroy the world without him.
Why it matters: Plankton's computer wife Karen goes rogue and tries to take over the world.
- Starring
- Mr. Lawrence, Jill Talley, and Tom Kenny
- Director
- Dave Needham
- Scores
- IMDb 5.3 · Rotten Tomatoes 73%
The essentials, in release order
- SpongeBob SquarePants1999 · Series · 147h 45mThe main show, from 1999 and still running; everything else spins off from it.
- The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie2004 · Film · 1h 27mSpongeBob and Patrick leave Bikini Bottom to recover King Neptune's crown and save Mr. Krabs.
- The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water2015 · Film · 1h 33mThe Krabby Patty formula vanishes and the gang ends up on land as superheroes.
- The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run2020 · Film · 1h 35mGary is snail-napped, and SpongeBob and Patrick head to the Lost City of Atlantic City.
- The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants2025 · Film · 1h 28mSpongeBob follows the Flying Dutchman into the Underworld to prove he is a big guy.
Common questions
Do I need to watch every SpongeBob SquarePants title?
No. You can skip 4 of the 9 titles in the SpongeBob SquarePants franchise and still follow the main story: Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years, The Patrick Star Show, Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie, and Plankton: The Movie. The essentials (5 titles) take about 154 hours instead of 203 hours.
How long are the SpongeBob SquarePants essentials?
About 154 hours for 5 titles, in release order starting with SpongeBob SquarePants.
Keep reading
Watch order guideHow to watch the SpongeBob movies in order9 titles · 203 hours- RecapSpongeBob recap: the story so far9 titles recapped
Skip guideWhat can you skip in Game of Thrones?2 titles you can skip
RecapChainsaw Man recap: the story so far2 titles recapped
Watch order guideHow to watch the One Piece movies in order8 titles · 498 hours
Skip guideWhich Star Wars movies can you skip?5 titles you can skip