This is the first film in the franchise to be entirely animated in 3D CGI , giving the characters a modernized yet "squishy" look that mimics traditional 2D expressions.

(2020) is a vibrant, fully CGI-animated adventure that follows SpongeBob and Patrick on a high-stakes rescue mission to the Lost City of Atlantic City. Plot Overview

Originally set for theaters, it debuted on Netflix internationally in 2020 and on Paramount+ in the U.S. in 2021.

Critics on Rotten Tomatoes describe it as "winsomely wacky" and a "light-hearted lunacy". While some reviewers felt it leaned heavily on episodic action, others praised the technological overhaul for adding a "trippier dimension" to the surreal underwater world. The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run (2020)