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Nickelodeon Secures New Seasons for SpongeBob and Patrick Star Show Amid Paramount-WBD Merger Talks
Nickelodeon has confirmed that its flagship series SpongeBob SquarePants will receive two additional seasons, and its spin‑off The Patrick Star Show will also be renewed for two more seasons. Each show will add 26 half‑hour episodes, bringing the combined total to 52 new installments. Production is already underway, with the first of the new seasons slated to debut in the fourth quarter of 2026 and the subsequent seasons scheduled for 2027.
The news came after a Deadline report on June 9, 2026. According to the article, Nickelodeon has picked up SpongeBob SquarePants for seasons eighteen and nineteen and The Patrick Star Show for seasons six and seven. The announcement notes that the new seasons are in production and that official premiere dates have yet to be confirmed.
SpongeBob SquarePants first aired in 1999 and has become Nickelodeon’s longest‑running children’s animated series. By 2024 the franchise had generated over $16 billion in merchandising revenue and expanded into four theatrical feature films, two streaming feature films, a Broadway musical, a comic book series, and several video games. The show also spawned two spin‑offs: Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years (2021‑2024) and The Patrick Star Show* (2021‑present).
The Patrick Star Show* debuted in 2021, focusing on SpongeBob’s best friend, Patrick Star. The series has already aired five seasons of 13 half‑hour episodes each; the new seasons will bring the total to 26 episodes.
The renewal of both series arrives as Nickelodeon’s parent company, Paramount Skydance, negotiates a $110 billion merger with Warner Bros Discovery. The proposed deal is under review by the European Union and the United Kingdom’s competition authority. Bloomberg reported that the European Commission is examining potential overlaps in the wholesale supply of children’s television channels between the two companies, and may require divestiture of Nickelodeon and other animated properties if combined market shares in any country exceed 40 percent.
Should Nickelodeon be sold as part of a divestiture, the future of the SpongeBob franchise would depend on the new owner’s strategy. The regulatory scrutiny surrounding the merger therefore adds an element of uncertainty to the long‑term ownership of the series.
In addition to its broadcast presence, the SpongeBob franchise has expanded into streaming. Two feature films—Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie and Plankton: The Movie—were released on Netflix rather than Paramount+, suggesting that Nickelodeon’s content could be licensed to other platforms in the future.
The decision to green‑light additional seasons underscores Nickelodeon’s commitment to sustaining its most successful animated properties. The network announced the renewal after the 17th season premiered on June 12, 2026; the 18th season is expected to debut in late 2026, followed by the 19th season in 2027. Likewise, season six of The Patrick Star Show will air in 2026, with season seven slated for 2027.
While exact release dates remain unconfirmed, the production status signals that both series are progressing toward their scheduled premieres. The continued production of these shows reflects Nickelodeon’s strategy of maintaining long‑running franchises amid the regulatory landscape surrounding its parent company’s merger.
In summary, Nickelodeon has secured new seasons for SpongeBob SquarePants and The Patrick Star Show, adding 52 half‑hour episodes across both series. The renewal coincides with Paramount Skydance’s merger negotiations with Warner Bros Discovery, which may prompt divestiture of Nickelodeon’s animated properties if regulatory bodies approve the deal. The SpongeBob franchise’s presence on both television and streaming platforms underscores its enduring popularity and the network’s commitment to expanding its flagship brand.
The news came after a Deadline report on June 9, 2026. According to the article, Nickelodeon has picked up SpongeBob SquarePants for seasons eighteen and nineteen and The Patrick Star Show for seasons six and seven. The announcement notes that the new seasons are in production and that official premiere dates have yet to be confirmed.
SpongeBob SquarePants first aired in 1999 and has become Nickelodeon’s longest‑running children’s animated series. By 2024 the franchise had generated over $16 billion in merchandising revenue and expanded into four theatrical feature films, two streaming feature films, a Broadway musical, a comic book series, and several video games. The show also spawned two spin‑offs: Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years (2021‑2024) and The Patrick Star Show* (2021‑present).
The Patrick Star Show* debuted in 2021, focusing on SpongeBob’s best friend, Patrick Star. The series has already aired five seasons of 13 half‑hour episodes each; the new seasons will bring the total to 26 episodes.
The renewal of both series arrives as Nickelodeon’s parent company, Paramount Skydance, negotiates a $110 billion merger with Warner Bros Discovery. The proposed deal is under review by the European Union and the United Kingdom’s competition authority. Bloomberg reported that the European Commission is examining potential overlaps in the wholesale supply of children’s television channels between the two companies, and may require divestiture of Nickelodeon and other animated properties if combined market shares in any country exceed 40 percent.
Should Nickelodeon be sold as part of a divestiture, the future of the SpongeBob franchise would depend on the new owner’s strategy. The regulatory scrutiny surrounding the merger therefore adds an element of uncertainty to the long‑term ownership of the series.
In addition to its broadcast presence, the SpongeBob franchise has expanded into streaming. Two feature films—Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie and Plankton: The Movie—were released on Netflix rather than Paramount+, suggesting that Nickelodeon’s content could be licensed to other platforms in the future.
The decision to green‑light additional seasons underscores Nickelodeon’s commitment to sustaining its most successful animated properties. The network announced the renewal after the 17th season premiered on June 12, 2026; the 18th season is expected to debut in late 2026, followed by the 19th season in 2027. Likewise, season six of The Patrick Star Show will air in 2026, with season seven slated for 2027.
While exact release dates remain unconfirmed, the production status signals that both series are progressing toward their scheduled premieres. The continued production of these shows reflects Nickelodeon’s strategy of maintaining long‑running franchises amid the regulatory landscape surrounding its parent company’s merger.
In summary, Nickelodeon has secured new seasons for SpongeBob SquarePants and The Patrick Star Show, adding 52 half‑hour episodes across both series. The renewal coincides with Paramount Skydance’s merger negotiations with Warner Bros Discovery, which may prompt divestiture of Nickelodeon’s animated properties if regulatory bodies approve the deal. The SpongeBob franchise’s presence on both television and streaming platforms underscores its enduring popularity and the network’s commitment to expanding its flagship brand.
