Premiering in 1999, SpongeBob SquarePants was an instant hit for Nickelodeon. It was successful beyond the wildest dreams of the show's dearly departed creator, Stephen Hillenburg. With a consistent main cast that has remained a part of the series since the beginning, the show has evolved over the last two decades to become a cultural touchstone for countless viewers around the world -- and one of the most successful cartoon creations of the 21st century. In recent years, the franchise has continued to expand with new feature films like The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run, spinoffs like The Patrick Star Show, and Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years, while the original series quietly approaches 300 episodes.

The three are even set for a crossover, the upcoming "Tidal Zone" special. As stars of a genuine generational hit, the voices of SpongeBob SquarePants have become some of the most iconic in modern animation. Tom Kenny (SpongeBob), Bill Fagerbakke (Patrick), and Jill Talley (Karen/Squidina) visited the CBR media room at San Diego Comic-Con 2022 to discuss watching the series become a cultural phenomenon. The group dove into finding new layers to their well-worn characters and looked ahead to what the future holds for the citizens of Bikini Bottom.

SpongeBob SquarePants is streaming now on Paramount+.