Plankton: The Movie (2025) | Hollywood Movie

Plankton: The Movie (2025), directed by Dave Needham, is a zesty SpongeBob spin-off that hands the spotlight to Sheldon J. Plankton (Mr. Lawrence) in a 87-minute musical romp on Netflix, released March 7. When Karen (Jill Talley), his sentient computer wife, ditches empathy and builds a world-dominating mech after Plankton torches her Mexican chum empire, he teams with SpongeBob (Tom Kenny) and the Gal Pals—Sandy, Pearl, Mrs. Puff—to win her back.

Lawrence’s script, co-written with Kaz and Chris Viscardi, blends goofy flashbacks (Karen as a potato-powered calculator) and catchy tunes from Bret McKenzie and Mark Mothersbaugh, peaking with Plankton’s chip-induced epiphany: Karen’s the real “secret formula.” The CG animation dips below the show’s 2D charm, per critics (81% Rotten Tomatoes), and SpongeBob’s screen time feels padded, but the Karen-Plankton dynamic delights—X posts rave about their “toxic yet adorable” vibe. It’s a breezy, kid-friendly romp with heart, outshining Sandy Cheeks for fans, though it’s more stitched episodes than cinematic leap.