ViacomCBS announces release of The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run direct to premium video-on-demand and CBS All Access in 2021

SpongeBob and Gary in The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run. Image ViacomCBS

ViacomCBS are taking the upcoming SpongeBob SquarePants movie straight to video-on-demand, followed by CBS All Access, bypassing its planned cinema release and potentially giving us a view of what’s to come in their digital content strategy.

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run is the third installment in the SpongeBob SquarePants movie franchise, which is based on the Nickelodeon animated series of the same name. Sponge on the Run was originally slated for an August 2020 release, before ViacomCBS’s recent announcement. In a statement on Monday, ViacomCBS laid out plans for the film’s digital-exclusive release. They said the film “will debut digitally in the U.S. via premium video on demand in early 2021 and then move exclusively to CBS All Access [...] The movie will debut on the service as part of CBS All Access’ ongoing transformation into an expanded service spanning key franchise content from across ViacomCBS.”

Marc DeBevoise, Chief Digital Officer for ViacomCBS, and President and CEO of ViacomCBS Digital, gave some insight into the motivation and significance of the move, saying, “We are thrilled to have THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SPONGE ON THE RUN, a premier, first-run movie from one of ViacomCBS’ biggest brands, join CBS All Access’ expanding slate of franchise content from across ViacomCBS [...] This launch will be perfectly timed with our continued expansion and planned rebranding of the service in early 2021.”

ViacomCBS’s statement also announced that all prior seasons of SpongeBob Squarepants would be making their way onto CBS All Access soon. Ramsey Naito, Executive Vice President of Nickelodeon Animation Production and Development praised the addition of SpongeBob to the service, saying, “We’re happy to give kids and families a much-deserved lift in any way we can, and the [streaming] release of the new SpongeBob theatrical and putting all seasons of the TV series on CBS All Access are two of the best ways I can think of to get immersed in the optimism and joy that this terrific character represents.”

While SpongeBob Squarepants isn’t available on CBS All Access quite yet, they have just released season two of their excellent Twilight Zone adaptation, and of course, you can’t forget all the Star Trek.