A New SpongeBob Spinoff Is Coming To Netflix, Report Says

Netflix and Nickelodeon announced a huge new deal where Nickelodeon will make new TV shows and movies for the streaming network. The release didn't contain any details on the shows, but The New York Times has details on one specific project that could be a big deal.

The outlet reported that Nickelodeon is making a "music-based" SpongeBob spinoff focused on the underwater sponge's grumpy octopus neighbor Squidward. The report had no further details on this or any of the others projects that Nickelodeon might be working on. It is unknown of the Squidward project is a TV show or a movie.

Squidward is voiced by Rodger Bumpass on the TV show but there is no word on if he'd be back for this new program on Netflix. Squidward is an accomplished musician, known for his clarinet-playing. Squidward also led a marching band in the Season 2 episode "Band Geeks." Check out the video above to see more of Squidward's musical moments.

In the news release, Netflix said the deal covers original animated shows and movies based on Nickelodeon characters as well as new IP. Netflix and Nickelodeon have already worked together for shows like Rocko's Modern Life: Static Cling and Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus.

SpongeBob also has a history with Netflix. Nickelodeon licensed the show to Netflix from 2009 up until 2013 when it removed the show for various reasons.

Unlike other media giants, Nickelodeon owner Viacom is not creating its own streaming service. The company instead is positioning itself as a "Hollywood arms dealer," according to NYT, with its ambition being to create content and sell it to the highest bidder. Sources told NYT that Netflix is paying $200 million to Nickelodeon for the new deal.

SpongeBob premiered in 1999 and it remains on TV. Season 13 was announced in July this year and is set to premiere sometime in the future. The show was created by Stephen Hillenburg, who died in 2018. Outside of the main show, there have been two SpongeBob movies released in theatres.

Disclosure: Viacom and GameSpot parent company CBS merged earlier this year.