Netflix has acquired the international distribution rights for “SpongeBob: Sponge on the Run,” the new “SpongeBob Squarepants” film from Paramount Animation which was to be released theatrically but has since been delayed twice and then pulled altogether.
Netflix snagged the foreign rights from Viacom, though the deal excludes China where Netflix has no presence. Paramount also has plans to release the film in Canada at some point after which Netflix will stream the film in that territory.
The international release date for the new film is not set, but Netflix is reportedly not beholden to the film’s early 2021 domestic debut first as a PVOD title and then later on CBS All Access as a home entertainment exclusive. That means Paramount could offer the film to its customers globally earlier.
The new film cost roughly $60 million and both the Netflix and CBS All Access deals have reportedly seen Paramount having made back the cost of the project. This marks the latest arrangement Paramount has done which has seen international Netflix debuts for some of its films including “Annihilation” and “Shaft”.
Source: Variety
