When Ice Spice released the viral anthem of 2022 “Bikini Bottom,” with its cheeky tribute to the underwater realm of SpongeBob SquarePants, few could have predicted that three years down the line, the Bronx rapper would be swapping rap for voiceover in the recording studio of the brand itself. Yet, on June 10, 2025, Nickelodeon and Paramount Pictures revealed something fans on TikTok had been speculating for weeks Ice Spice is on board for The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants and it’s a full-circle moment causing waves on the internet.
“Back then, ‘Bikini Bottom’ was just me having fun, paying homage to a show I loved growing up,”
said Ice Spice, real name Isis Gaston, during Annecy’s press panel.
“Now, being in the actual movie? That’s wild. It’s like my childhood and career collided.”
The 2022 track, constructed on top of the programme’s recognizable beat sample, first elicited mild ridicule on the web. But what some dismissed as gimmicky soon took hold as a defining cultural artifact among Gen Z listeners. TikTok edits, fan dances, and memes made it a sticky, endearing hit. That quirky connection now pays off, with Ice Spice not only voicing a new character still under wraps but also contributing an original song to the soundtrack.
Ice Spice joins a powerhouse cast of both new and returning faces. Alongside her, audiences can expect to hear the voices of Regina Hall, Sherry Cola, Arturo Castro, and George Lopez, injecting a fresh flavor into Bikini Bottom. The legendary Mark Hamill takes on the role of the ghostly Flying Dutchman, setting the stage for a spooky-meets-slapstick plot that sends SpongeBob to the ocean’s darkest depths to break a mysterious curse.
Series mainstays Tom Kenny (SpongeBob), Bill Fagerbakke (Patrick), Clancy Brown (Mr. Krabs), Rodger Bumpass (Squidward), Carolyn Lawrence (Sandy), and Mr. Lawrence (Plankton) are all back, keeping the franchise’s nostalgic core intact.
Directed by Derek Drymon, a veteran of the original SpongeBob SquarePants series, and penned by Pam Brady and Matt Lieberman, the movie promises to blend new-school energy with the franchise’s classic humor.
Production for Search for SquarePants kicked off back in 2022, with Drymon officially attached by 2023. The title was first teased at CinemaCon in 2023, sparking speculation and excitement across X and Reddit.
The film is produced by Nickelodeon Movies and MRC, and is distributed by Paramount Pictures. Oscar-nominated composer John Debney who previously scored Sponge Out of Water returns to orchestrate the soundtrack, including Ice Spice’s highly anticipated original song.
Clips from Annecy quickly spread across X and TikTok, where reactions ranged from “ICONIC pairing” to some gentle side-eye over yet another celebrity-turned-voice-actor. Still, the vibe has mostly been celebratory. One user wrote,
“From ‘Munch’ to Bikini Bottom Ice Spice is literally living my dream.”
Much like Rihanna’s turn in Smurfs, Ice Spice’s casting is more than a publicity stunt. It’s a calculated move to tap into Gen Z’s media diet a generation that grew up on SpongeBob reruns and Ice Spice tracks in equal measure.
With “Munch (Feelin’ U)” in early 2022, Ice Spice burst onto the scene and emerged as one of rap’s most buzzed-about new artists. Her debut album Y2K! in 2024 solidified her position in pop. with collaborations alongside Nicki Minaj, Taylor Swift, and Travis Scott. A 2024 Grammy nomination for Best Rap Song only further proved her staying power.
“Casting Ice Spice made total sense,”
said director Derek Drymon during the Annecy panel.
“She’s got that mix of humor, style, and authenticity that fits perfectly with SpongeBob’s world.”
With a global box office tally exceeding $465 million across three previous films, the SpongeBob franchise remains a juggernaut. And with Search for SquarePants set for release on December 19, 2025, fans both nostalgic millennials and meme-happy teens are ready to dive in.
For Ice Spice, the role marks a new chapter in a fast-moving career. For the SpongeBob universe, it’s another savvy evolution in a 25-year journey that continues to soak up the spotlight.
As one fan on TikTok put it,
“Ice Spice voicing a SpongeBob character? That’s not just full circleit’s full genius.”