July 15, 2025

SpongeBob Returns with Flying Dutchman and a Star-Studded Teaser (Ep. 315)

SpongeBob Returns with Flying Dutchman and a Star-Studded Teaser (Ep. 315)

In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor dig into a wide-ranging conversation about box office trends, Comic-Con reveals, and the growing debate around casting A-list celebrities in animated films. Highlights include:

  • Paramount debuts the first teaser for The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants – Mark Hamill joins as the Flying Dutchman, and Jim reflects on the franchise’s enduring magic.

  • Godzilla’s 70th anniversary celebration hits San Diego Comic-Con – Drew previews his panel, and Jim geeks out over Super7’s pop-up recreating the “Godzilla Minus One” train scene.

  • Chris Pratt returns for Garfield 2 – But should Hollywood rely less on celebrities and more on trained voice actors? Jim revisits old rants and Billy West’s take on the trend.

  • Michelle Yeoh joins the English dub of Ne Zha 2 – Now the highest-grossing animated film globally, the dubbed version hits U.S. theaters in August.

  • Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires – Warner Bros. Animation unveils a visually stunning reimagining of the Dark Knight at Comic-Con.

Plus: tributes to Pokémon voice legend James Carter Cathcart, Bugs Bunny’s 85th birthday at the Hollywood Bowl, and a sneak peek at Bluey at the Cinema: Let’s Play Chef coming soon to Europe.

It’s an episode packed with nostalgia, news, and insights from both coasts as Jim and Drew tackle everything from kaiju cosplay to cartoon casting.

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