SpongeBob SquarePants spinoff greenlit at Nickelodeon as network head aims to attract younger viewers

A spinoff for the incredibly popular animated show SpongeBob SquarePants has been greenlit by Nickelodeon as network chief Brian Robbins plans to fill the channel’s programming with shows that cater to younger audiences, Variety reports.

My leg! @Nickelodeon is creating #SpongeBob spinoffs! 🤯 https://t.co/Fri2zv04E9

— SpongeBob (@SpongeBob) February 14, 2019

Robbins said that with YouTube and streaming services regularly pushing out content, it is the kids’ market that has taken the biggest hit. “What used to be OK was having one or two hits, then making a zillion episodes of them, and then repeating them. That was enough to satisfy the kid audience because they didn’t have choice,” he was quoted as saying by popculture.com. However, he believes that if new, quality shows are churned out, then kids would want to watch them. The spinoff could tell an original story about SpongeBob and Patrick, or even be a standalone show based on the character Sandy Cheeks or Plankton_,_ as per Screen Rant.  Robbins also intends to broaden the Nickelodeon slate by expanding their other franchises, such as with the live-action  _Dora the Explorer_  movie and an Are You Afraid of the Dark? film. Nickelodeon is also working on a third SpongeBob film The SpongeBob Movie: It’s a Wonderful Sponge. In November last year, SpongeBob SquarePants creator Stephen Hillenburg passed away after a prolonged battle with ALS.