Mark Hamill to star in new 'SpongeBob' movie as The Flying Dutchman
From a Galaxy Far, Far Away to Bikini Bottom.
Star Wars actor Mark Hamill is joining the cast of Nickelodeon's upcoming The SpongeBob Movie: The Search For SquarePants as the voice of The Flying Dutchman.
Mark made a surprise appearance at a San Diego Comic-Con presentation of SpongeBob.
"Well, there's going to be a SpongeBob movie. I think it's your fourth?" he said to Tom Kenny, who voices the titular character. "And I am playing the Flying Dutchman."
"He's one of the most popular villains in the history of SpongeBob. And he's the most fearsome goofball pirate you've ever seen."
Mark is a veteran voice actor, having played characters in animation like Joker in many DC Comics projects, Hobgoblin in Spider-Man: The Animated Series, Fire Lord Ozai in Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Skips in Regular Show.
Original cast members Tom Kenny (SpongeBob), Bill Fagerbakke (Patrick), Carolyn Lawrence (Sandy), Rodger Bumpass (Squidward), Clancy Brown (Mr. Krabs), and Mr. Lawrence (Plankton) also graced the San Diego Comic-Con stage for a live table read of the series pilot episode, Help Wanted.
The upcoming film was first confirmed in February 2022. In April, Paramount Pictures confirmed that animator and SpongeBob veteran Derek Drymon will direct. The original cast will also be returning.
The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants is set to hit theaters in 2025.
Additionally, other franchise spin-offs will be released this year and in 2025, including Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie and Plankton: The Movie.
SpongeBob Squarepants chronicles the nautical and sometimes nonsensical adventures of the titular incurably optimistic sea sponge and his undersea friends.
The cartoon celebrated its 25th anniversary last July 14.
Since airing its pilot episode in 1999, SpongeBob Squarepants has become one of the most beloved cartoon shows on television, generating a universe filled with beloved characters, memes, theatrical releases, consumer products, a Tony award-winning Broadway musical, and a legion of fans that include adults.
Series star Tom recently said that SpongeBob is on the autism spectrum and that it's his "superpower."