Key Takeaways
The USS Enterprise just picked up SpongeBob SquarePants as its newest crew member.
Paramount Plus has just launched one of the strangest crossover spots to hit streaming, with SpongeBob and his friends aboard a "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" starship shaped like Patrick Star himself.
Dubbed the "Patrick Starship Enterprise," the pink vessel comes equipped with Krabby Patty grills and a thruster conveniently located in Patrick's behind.
"Speaking as a lifelong Trekker... it was a huge thrill to have my porous alter ego SpongeBob SquarePants 'beam up' to the USS Enterprise for a dreamy visit!” said Tom Kenny, the voice of SpongeBob.
"Interacting with the “stellar” (yes, pun intended!) cast of Strange New Worlds was an honor and a pleasure."
But why the strange collab?
With both Star Trek and SpongeBob SquarePants ranking among the top five most-watched franchises on Paramount+, the streamer’s crossover ad doubles as a reminder of just how deep its content bench runs.
Fans of both franchises can find everything from "Star Trek: The Original Series to Strange New Worlds to Starfleet Academy" in one place.
Additionally, SpongeBob’s full 300+ episode library, including "Kamp Koral" and "The Patrick Star Show," is also streaming.
The ad also arrives ahead of two major franchise updates.
"Strange New Worlds Season 3" is set to debut in the streaming giant mid-2025, while "The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants" will hit theaters December 19, 2025.
Notably, the latest SpongeBob film will serve as a loose parody of "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock," and introduces legendary actor Mark Hamill as the eclectic "Flying Dutchman."
Overall, the campaign is a bold play in brand partnerships, where creative marketing blurs genre boundaries to breathe new life into legacy properties.
While reactions to the spot have ranged from entertained to confused, the ad nails its core purpose: showing that Paramount Plus has content for every corner of the family, whether you're into warp drives or jellyfishing.
And in a crowded streaming market, it’s a splash of strangeness that might just stick.
When Stars Collide
The surreal 60-second spot kicks off by introducing viewers to the Patrick Starship Enterprise and its voyagers.
It opens with Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount), Spock (Ethan Peck), Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding), Sandy Cheeks, and Mr. Krabs working the controls.
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"What's your status, Commander Cheeks?" Spock asks the squirell, to which she responds "everything's peachy!"
Viewers are then treated with cute and cheeky interactions between Star Trek and SpongeBob characters: Uhura flipping a Krabby Patty to Captain Pike, Mr.Krabs hitting the "boost" to the starfish-shaped Enterprise, and everyone surviving a horde of floating jellyfish.
Finally, SpongeBob beams aboard in a square Starfleet uniform.
“Greetings, SpongeRobert,” Spock greets him flatly, before things spiral into full Bikini Bottom-meets-Starfleet absurdity.
As the spot ends, it’s all revealed to be a dream (or a result of Uhura’s “imagination”) as a rainbow sprouts from Spock’s fingers in a nod to SpongeBob’s signature meme moment.
Though bizarre, the ad serves as the perfect balance of nostalgia and cross-fandom energy that's enough to get fans of both franchises hyped up.
Previously, Paramount Plus pulled off something similar by gathering Josh Allen, Peppa Pig, and Scourge from Transformers to star in a fun yet absurd ad.