How Did The Flying Dutchman End Up In SpongeBob Anyway? The Voice Actors Shared Details (And Memories) As Mark Hamill Takes Him On

by

The new movie, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie: Search For SquarePants, is one of the final big releases of 2025. It’s a special experience for fans of the show, as it marks the first time The Flying Dutchman appears as the villain in a feature film. TopMob recently spoke with Tom Kenny and Bill Fagerbakke, the voices of SpongeBob and Patrick, and I discovered a lot about the ghostly pirate character.

Tom Kenny Talks The Origins Of The Flying Dutchman

Ever wondered about the origins of The Flying Dutchman in SpongeBob SquarePants? Here’s what Tom Kenny, the voice of SpongeBob, shared about it.

Stephen Hillenburg, who created SpongeBob SquarePants, had a lifelong fascination with the sea and pirates. The idea for the cursed ghost pirate character came to him early in the show’s development. Brian Doyle-Murray is perfectly cast in the role – his voice is uniquely suited to it, and he delivers a fantastic performance. I actually directed Brian just yesterday for a new TV show, so we’re continuing to expand the Flying Dutchman’s story!

While many kids first encounter The Flying Dutchman through SpongeBob SquarePants, its origins are much older. It’s actually a Dutch maritime legend dating back to the 17th century. The story tells of a ship’s captain who challenged either God or the Devil, resulting in a curse of eternal wandering for him and his crew. Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of SpongeBob, was a fan of pirate stories and thought a humorous take on The Flying Dutchman would be a fun addition to the show. Kenny also shared some thoughts on this:

I find the Flying Dutchman hilarious! It’s always funny to see such a powerful character get annoyed by SpongeBob and Patrick, who are just so clueless and unafraid. The Dutchman is a really great character, and this movie lets his personality shine.

I was so excited to see Mark Hamill join the world of SpongeBob as The Flying Dutchman in Search For Squarepants! It’s just another awesome live-action cameo for the show. It’s funny to think The Flying Dutchman actually showed up pretty early on – first as a quick comic book panel in Season 1’s “Squidward the Unfriendly Ghost,” and then fully appearing a couple episodes later in “Scaredy Pants” where he hilariously tells everyone to stop copying his look for Halloween!

Paramount+ offers plans starting at $7.99 per month or $59.99 per year. You can choose between the basic Essential plan and the ad-free Premium plan, which costs $12.99 a month. For fans of shows like SpongeBob SquarePants, an annual subscription is a great way to save money. Check out the deal here!

Kenny And Bill Fagerbakke Share Early Memories Of The Character

After working together for more than 25 years, I asked SpongeBob and Patrick about their earliest experiences with The Flying Dutchman. Kenny, who voices one of them, then explained:

The one I remember is the perfume counter one.

Oh yeah, that episode! He’s referencing “Shanghaied” from Season 2 – you know, the one where SpongeBob and Patrick are trying to get away from the Flying Dutchman? It’s become such a classic, and honestly, I totally get why he thought of it. Here’s what Tom Kenny had to say about it:

I was really surprised when I first saw him wearing that unique shade of green. It was a striking, almost otherworldly, green.

The Flying Dutchman is a really funny character, and it’s easy to see why he’s been a favorite on the show for years! You can catch him taking SpongeBob and Patrick on a new adventure in The SpongeBob Movie: The Search For SquarePants, which is playing in theaters now.

Read More

2025-12-20 22:39