Netflix’s New Deal With Nickelodeon Reportedly Includes A ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ Spin-Off

On Wednesday, the day after Disney+’s apparently successful launch, Netflix announced a brand new content partnership with Nickelodeon. In addition to the deal that already exists between the two companies — which lets Netflix exclusively stream numerous classics from Nickelodeon’s vault — this new arrangement means they will “produce original animated feature films and television series… based both on the Nickelodeon library of characters as well as all-new IP.” The official release offered new clues as to what new originals the deal might entail, but the New York Times is offering some hints.

Per their report, it seems a SpongeBob SquarePants spin-off will be a major part of the new deal:

The partnership involves a music-based project centered on Squidward, the malcontent anthropomorphic octopus on SpongeBob SquarePants, according to two people briefed on the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss still private details.

Aside from the spin-off project’s primarily concerning the Squidward character and being of a musical nature, the New York Times had little else to say about the reported project. It did note, however, that Netflix and Nickelodeon’s new deal for original programming “was worth more than $200 million.” (Or, as Squidward would probably say, “Oh, my aching tentacles… from having to carry all of these bills.”)

In the original release, Netflix’s Melissa Cobb said of the deal: “Nickelodeon has generated scores of characters that kids love, and we look forward to telling wholly original stories that re-imagine and expand on the worlds they inhabit.” Brian Robbins, the Viacom network’s president, added that his organization’s “next step forward is to keep expanding beyond linear platforms, and our broader content partnership with Netflix is a key path toward that goal.”