'The Patrick Star Show', A 'SpongeBob SquarePants' Spin-Off Series, In The Works At Nickelodeon

The hit animated children's series SpongeBob SquarePants continues to be a massively important property for ViacomCBS – so much so that yet another spin-off show is in the works. The Patrick Star Show, an animated talk show starring SpongeBob's best pal, is reportedly in the works at Nickelodeon, and deals are currently being finalized for creative forces behind the scenes, including longtime Patrick voice actor Bill Fagerbakke.

Deadline reports that voiceover recordings already have begun for the upcoming animated project, which should be receiving a 13-episode order sometime soon. The spin-off is expected to hail from the same creative team behind the original series (minus SpongeBob's original creator Stephen Hillenburg, who died in 2018 at the age of 57), and be "in the vein of The Larry Sanders Show and Comedy Bang! Bang!, with Patrick (Fagerbakke) hosting his own late-night talk show."

Patrick and his family will take center stage this time around. Though the new show will primarily feature a new cast voicing new characters, original SpongeBob cast members will likely drop by for cameos on occasion.

This is not the first spin-off of the goofy undersea sponge and his starfish buddy. Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years, a 13-episode CG-animated show, is a SpongeBob prequel show which depicts a 10-year-old SpongeBob and his friends at that camp in the Kelp Forest, where they spend the summer catching jellyfish, building campfires, and swimming in Lake Yuckymuck. That series will be coming soon to CBS All Access, Viacom's streaming service.

Meanwhile, word came out last fall that a music-based show focusing on the character of Squidward was in the works at Netflix, and ViacomCBS will be producing two spinoff movies for that streaming service as well.

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run was originally set for a theatrical release in February 2019 before being pushed back to the summer of 2020, where it was delayed four more times because of the pandemic before Paramount eventually threw up its hands and decided to take the premium video on demand route in early 2021.

It can't be overstated how important this franchise is to ViacomCBS. The original series is the most widely distributed property in Viacom International Media Networks history, reaching more than 200 countries and territories and averaging more than 100 million total viewers every quarter. Expect to see plenty more of these characters in the years to come.