Summary
SpongeBob SquarePantswas very nearly an entirely different show, and I’m so glad that a particular casting possibility didn’t happen.Screen Rantwas in attendance at theSpongeBobpanel atSan Diego Comic-Con 2024as cast members of the beloved animated series reminisced about its early days. It’s been 25 years sinceSpongeBob SquarePantsfirst aired, making it difficult to imagine these characters and their underwater world any differently. However, the creative minds and talent behind the show have revealed some of the early decisions that shapedSpongeBobas we know it.
Like many people enjoying their fourth decade of life, I feelSpongeBob SquarePantsepisodesare a staple of my childhood. It’s precisely for this reason that theComic-Con panel celebrating the show’s 25th anniversarywas such an exciting thought, and the event didn’t disappoint. The ball got rolling with theSpongeBobcast doing a table read of the pilot, taking us back to that first iconic episode. This was followed by exciting news about the upcoming 2025 movieThe SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, which will feature the voice talents of Mark Hamill. However, it’s another voice that captured my attention.
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Mr. Lawrence Originally Auditioned For SpongeBob SquarePants Using Plankton’s Voice
SpongeBob Nearly Sounded Very Different
Famed voice actor and animatorMr. Lawrence is known as the voice of the villainous Sheldon J.Plankton inSpongeBob SquarePants, but it was revealed at San Diego Comic-Con 2024 that he originally auditioned for the titular sponge himself. Of course, it’s hard to imagine anyone but Tom Kenny playing SpongeBob, but this casting possibility becomes even more bizarre with the added revelation that Mr. Lawrence used his Plankton voice during the read. While the writing might have been the same, SpongeBob’s character would have been entirely different if Mr. Lawrence had been cast.
SpongeBob Would Be A VERY Different Character If Mr. Lawrence Got The Role
SpongeBob Needed Tom Kenny
SpongeBob’s character is marked by his innocence. He’s silly, charming, and a little idiotic, and this is all part of why he is so lovable. Of course, this has a lot to do with how he is written. SpongeBob is the eternal optimist. He and his too-dumb-to-care best friend, Patrick (Bill Fagerbakke), bumble through their deep-sea life with hilarious levity, allowing audiences young and old to shed their own problems and go along for the ride. All of this would surely have been the intention before casting happened, butI find this dynamic accompanied by Plankton’s voice jolting (and laughable).
Mr. Lawrence’s voice would have given SpongeBob an edge that would have taken away from this levity.
Mr. Lawrence’s voice would have given SpongeBob an edge that would have taken away from this levity. I’m sure thatSpongeBob SquarePantswould have evolved in an entirely different directionas a result, morphing away from what was initially intended into a unique TV show. Perhaps this would have been hilarious and great, and 25 years later, we might have all still been atComic-Con 2024 celebratingthe staples of our childhoods. However, I’m glad things worked out the way they did and that SpongeBob’s character has the high-pitched voice and laugh we all know and love.
SpongeBob Made The Right Choice Casting Mr. Lawrence As Plankton Instead
The Cast Of SpongeBob SquarePants Was Exactly As It Should Have Been
Ultimately, it seems that Stephen Hillenburg and the other creatives behindSpongeBob SquarePantsknew precisely what they were doing. Mr. Lawrence was a great asset to the series, and casting him was a valuable choice—but he just wasn’t the right SpongeBob.The voice he brought to the audition was perfect for a villain, especially one so tiny as Plankton. Mr. Lawrence’s performance inSpongeBob SquarePantsis larger than life and demands attention, and this, juxtaposed with his character’s size, is all part of the genius comedy that is this animated children’s show.
After 25 years, it’s fun to consider how a series likeSpongeBob, which is so easy to take for granted, might have been entirely different if even the most minor decisions had been made differently. Mr. Lawrence, Kenny, FagerBakke, and other cast members like Clancy Brown (Mr. Krabs),Carolyn Lawrence (Sandy Cheeks), and Rodger Bumpass(Squidward) are the heart and soul ofSpongeBob SquarePants. As the franchise evolves, new actors may come in to take over their roles, but the foundation they established has set the perfect, hilarious tone for generations to come.
SpongeBob SquarePants
Cast
Spongebob Squarepants is an animated comedy created by Stephen Hillenburg and starring voices from Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, and Rodger Bumpass. The series revolves around a sea sponge that goes on many misadventures with his friends Patrick, Squidward, and Sandy Cheeks in the lands of Bikini Bottom and the surrounding sea.
