Nickelodeon held a preview for the series in the United States on May 1, 1999,

following the television airing of the 1999 Kids' Choice Awards. The series
officially premiered on July 17, 1999. It has received worldwide critical acclaim
since its premiere and gained enormous popularity by its second season. A feature
film, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, was released in theaters on November 19,
2004, and a sequel was released on February 6, 2015. On June 24, 2017, the series
began airing its eleventh season with the episodes 'The Check-Up/Spot Returns.' In
May 2017, the show was announced to be renewed for a 12th season.

The series has won a variety of awards, including six Annie Awards, eight Golden
Reel Awards, two Emmy Awards, 12 Kids' Choice Awards, and two BAFTA Children's
Awards. Despite its widespread popularity, the series has been involved in several
public controversies, including one centered on speculation over SpongeBob's
intended sexual orientation. In 2011, a newly described species of fungi,
Spongiforma squarepantsii, was named after the cartoon's title character.