Sponge on the Run has arrived and the movie is filled with a diverse array of cameos, so here's a rundown of SpongeBob 3’s many celebrities.
Update (3/2/21): The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run premieres March 4 on Paramount+!
As is always the case in the cinematic outings of Bikini Bottom's favorite denizen, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run is filled with a diverse array of cameos. Long-awaited by fans of the iconic Nickelodeon animated series and luckily just as anarchically hilarious as its predecessors, SpongeBob’s third movie outing, Sponge on the Run, released on Netflix in some markets, such as the UK, in November 2020, ahead of a planned 2021 U.S PVoD/Paramount+ SVOD release.
Following 2004’s blockbuster success The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie and 2015’s belated sequel Sponge Out of Water, Sponge on the Run tells the tale of how the titular character first met his pet snail, Gary, and later sees himself and Patrick undertake a daring rescue mission when new villain King Poseidon kidnaps Gary. King Poseidon is only one of many characters played by a famous actor, and as was the case with the two earlier SpongeBob movies, countless other celebrity cameos are dotted throughout the cast of Sponge on the Run.
The first film in the franchise introduced audiences to characters played by the likes of Scarlett Johansson, Alec Baldwin, and Jeffrey Tambor, not to mention throwing in an unexpected performance from Baywatch’s own David Hasselhoff as himself. Meanwhile, the second movie Sponge Out of Water managed to up the ante even further by not only including some slick 3D animation but also boasting appearances from the likes of Antonio Banderas as the villainous Burger Beard and comedy duo Garfunkel and Oates as the Popsicle Twins. This meant that the bar was set pretty high for Sponge on the Run’s cameos, and luckily the third film didn’t disappoint, bringing not only a brand new all 3D animated look for the series but also the most impressive cast list yet.
Awkwafina As Otto
Originally an invention belonging to Mr. Krabs, Otto is a (theoretically) emotionless robot intended to streamline the firing process at SpongeBob's iconic workplace the Krusty Krab. Having no heart, the robot has no trouble canning employees, but Krabs soon runs out of use for Otto when the robot commandeers his office. The robot spends the rest of the movie acting as SpongeBob’s unlikely chauffeur, proving itself an unexpectedly proficient gambler, and fulfilling all manner of other bizarre roles throughout the action of Sponge on the Run. Of course, it shouldn’t be too big a surprise to see that Otto is a solid gambler, since the robot is played by Ocean’s 8 breakout star Awkwafina. Recently seen in Jumanji: The Next Level, former Internet sensation Awkwafina has appeared in plenty of animated efforts before this SpongeBob role, with parts on Netflix’s Tuca & Bertie, a guest spot on The Simpsons, and an appearance in The Angry Birds Movie 2 to her name. The actor also has her own show, Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens, and has appeared in Crazy Rich Asians.
Keanu Reeves As Sage
A tumbleweed residing in Goner Gulch, Sage may be the most quintessentially SpongeBob character to appear in Sponge on the Run. A surreal, funny, and oddly existential invention, it helps that this sentient koan-spouting tumbleweed is played by the movie’s most quintessentially SpongeBob choice of cameo. None other than Neo himself Keanu Reeves appears in the role, fusing his twin passions for pseudo-philosophy (as seen in The Matrix), surfer dude wisdom (as seen as far back as Point Break), and goofy slacker comedy (as epitomized in the recent belated Bill & Ted sequel). Reeves’ cameo in Sponge on the Run pretty much encapsulates everything that has made the actor’s career so great. Well, not quite everything, since as a sentient tumbleweed he doesn’t get to do much Speed/John Wick-style action movie butt-kicking, but he does help guide Patrick and SpongeBob through defeating the Flesh-eating Cowboy Pirate Zombies (more on them later), so it’s close enough.
Snoop Dogg As The Gambler
One of the earliest confirmed cameos in The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run, rapper/actor Snoop Dogg appears as The Gambler in the movie and is seen performing at a Bikini Bottom club. It's a surreal surprise to see the Murder Was The Case hitmaker visiting SpongeBob's neck of the woods. It’s still always good to see the West Coast rapper getting work in his later years. Snoop is actually a bit of a Nickelodeon alum, having appeared in Sanjay and Craig and Game Shakers. He is also currently the face of Just Eat in the UK.
Danny Trejo As El Diablo
In an unusually dark turn for the typically fairly light-hearted SpongeBob franchise, Con Air star Danny Trejo plays one of The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run’s villains El Diablo, the leader of the Flesh-eating Cowboy Pirate Zombies. Despite their fearsome moniker and appearance, the movie’s heroes SpongeBob and Patrick make short work of the villain and his cohorts, even if Trejo’s leader does briefly return in the form of a tornado before giving up and dying for good by the movie’s end (although the jury is still out on whether a zombie pirate can really die for good). Like Snoop Dogg, Trejo is mostly a veteran of more grown-up entertainment. However, appearing in A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas does prove that the actor is a fan of goofy slacker antics and buddy comedy adventures. He also voiced Boots the Monkey in Nickelodeon Movies Dora and the Lost City of Gold.
Tiffany Haddish As Tiffany Haddock
A Master of Ceremonies for The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run’s chaotic action, "Tiffany Haddock" is a (perfect for-a-pun) cameo role for rising star Tiffany Haddish of Girls Trip and Night School fame. Haddish is no stranger to the world of animated kids comedy, with a (seemingly) villainous role in The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part and a more recent appearance in Phineas & Ferb The Movie: Candace Against the Universe to her name. It’s a choice role and one Haddish nails, making her rapid rise to comedy superstardom in recent years all the more exciting.
Matt Berry As King Poseidon
Another veteran of animated comedy like Haddish, British comedian Berry appeared Doctor Roberts, the father of Princess in Harvey Beaks and Prince Merkimer on Netflix’s fantasy comedy Disenchantment. The character is a familiar face from decades of cult comedy in his homeland, such as The I.T. Crowd, and he even appeared in a smaller role in 2015’s SpongeBob sequel Sponge Out of Water. There he played Bubbles, but this time around the actor has gotten the plum role of King Poseidon, the movie’s main antagonist, It’s a big promotion for Berry, and fortunately, the actor puts in a typically stellar, theatrical turn in the role.
Reggie Watts As Chancellor
Last but never least is Reggie Watts as the barely-seen Chancellor. An American cult comedian best known for his years of work on the comedy podcast and IFC series Comedy Bang Bang, Reggie Watts plays the briefly-seen Chancellor, a chain-adorned, graduation-hatted minor character in The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run. It may be small role, but fans are sure to be pleased to see that Watts is getting more work in the mainstream.
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run is now available to stream on Netflix globally, excluding the U.S., Canada and China.
In the U.S., The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run will debut on Paramount+ early next year. In Canada, the movie will debut on Netflix at a later date. A release for China has not yet been announced.
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Originally published: Wednesday, November 11, 2020.
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