Plankton The Movie: Mr. Lawrence & Jill Talley Talk Villainy, Love, and Laughter – Interview

Plankton The Movie brings Bikini Bottom’s infamous villain to center stage.

For over 25 years, SpongeBob SquarePants has entertained audiences worldwide, with its colorful cast of characters becoming pop culture icons. Now, one of the show’s most notorious yet lovable villains is stepping into the spotlight with Plankton The Movie, set to premiere on Netflix on March 7, 2025.

Directed by Dave Needham, Plankton The Movie follows Sheldon J. Plankton (voiced by Mr. Lawrence) as his latest plan for world domination takes an unexpected turn, flipping his world upside down. The film, based on the beloved Nickelodeon series created by Stephen Hillenburg, boasts an impressive lineup of executive producers, including Marc Ceccarelli and Vincent Waller. Mr. Lawrence, who has voiced Plankton since the show’s inception, also penned the story and co-wrote the screenplay alongside Kaz and Chris Viscardi.

A Long-Awaited Spotlight

For Mr. Lawrence and Jill Talley, the voice of Karen—the supercomputer wife of Plankton—the journey to a full-length feature film centered on their characters has been years in the making. In an exclusive interview, the duo shared their excitement about bringing Plankton and Karen’s dynamic to the big screen.

“I knew we needed to get an idea together for a movie, but even when discussions happen, you never know for sure,” Mr. Lawrence said. “Once we knew it was officially happening, we were thrilled.”

Talley, who has been voicing Karen since the early days of SpongeBob SquarePants, described the couple’s on-screen chemistry as one of the funniest relationships in animation. “They have that classic ‘honeymooners’ dynamic,” she said. “Karen is the brains, but she lets Plankton think he’s in control. There’s this underlying care they have for each other that keeps it from just being bickering—it makes it funny and endearing.”

Improvisation and Unexpected Depth

When it comes to recording their roles, both actors confirmed that improvisation plays a significant role in their performances. “Doug [Mr. Lawrence] and I improvise a lot,” Talley admitted. “Sometimes we have to be stopped because we just keep going.”

Mr. Lawrence added, “We love to play off each other, but sometimes we have to remind ourselves to leave space between our lines. Otherwise, we overlap, which isn’t great for animation.”

Beyond Plankton’s usual villainous antics, the film offers a deeper look at his character, something that excites Mr. Lawrence the most. “I love when we get to show Plankton’s softer side. It’s unexpected and makes him more interesting,” he said. “In this movie, we explore that even more, especially with Karen. She’s not just helping him take over the world—she’s doing it to wake him up to reality.”

With an all-star voice cast including Tom Kenny (SpongeBob), Bill Fagerbakke (Patrick), Carolyn Lawrence (Sandy), Clancy Brown (Mr. Krabs), and Rodger Bumpass (Squidward), Plankton The Movie promises to deliver the humor, heart, and chaos that fans have come to love.

As the film gears up for its Netflix debut, Mr. Lawrence and Talley are eager for audiences to experience Plankton and Karen’s biggest adventure yet. “There are so many layers to these characters, and I can’t wait for fans to see it all unfold,” Lawrence said.

Plankton The Movie premieres on Netflix on March 7, 2025.

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