Why did Stephen Hillenburg leave?

In 2017, ‘Spongebob Squarepants’ creator Stephen Hillenburg revealed his tragic diagnosis. In 2004, Hillenburg decided not to renew his contract and stepped back from the show. He returned to a life much like his early days at the art institute, surfing and even making another short animated film.

When did Stephen Hillenburg stop working on SpongeBob?

His deteriorating health made it difficult for him to speak or offer input on the series. According to Vincent Waller, Hillenburg stopped coming to Nickelodeon Animation Studio in August 2018, three months before his passing. Hillenburg passed away on November 26, 2018, due to complications from ALS.

Was SpongeBob supposed to end?

The film was originally intended to serve as the series finale, but Nickelodeon ordered more episodes of the series as it had become increasingly profitable, so Hillenburg resigned as showrunner, with Tibbitt taking his place.

Who is the oldest SpongeBob voice actor?

Thomas James Kenny (born July 13, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. He is known for voicing the titular character in SpongeBob SquarePants and associated media.