New ’SpongeBob’ movie to skip theatrical release for digital premiere

Lots of SpongeBob news this month, it seems. Shortly after Nickelodeon hinted that the loveable yellow sponge was a member of the LGBT community — or at least an ally — comes the news of its latest movie heading straight to streaming.

“The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run” is skipping its theatrical release amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

According to Variety, the animated-adventure based on the beloved “SpongeBob Squarepants” TV series is slated to launch on premium digital rental services in 2021, before landing exclusively on streaming service CBS All Access.

The film was originally slated to hit the big screen on May 22, but was postponed due to the pandemic.

Paramount Pictures dropped the teaser for “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run” in November last year.

The story follows Spongebob Squarepants and his best friend Patrick Star as they embark on a hilarious adventure to save his pet Gary, who has been “snail-napped.”

The live-action picture is the third “SpongeBob” film, after “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie” (2004) and “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water”(2015). — Margaret Claire Layug/LA, GMA News