‘SpongeBob’ Creator Feels Wrung Out

Steve Hillenburg, the creator, executive producer and head writer of the hit “SpongeBob Squarepants” cartoon series, said Friday he will not renew his contract with Nickelodeon to make more episodes.

When he finishes with the current set of 20 segments, he will have completed 60 shows. “I definitely need a break,” Hillenburg, 40, told The Times. “I want to try something new.”

The animated series, which began airing in 1999, features a cheesy yellow sink sponge who lives in an underwater pineapple in the town of Bikini Bottom, along with an assortment of endearing invertebrates.

The show has caught on with children and adults, and it has spawned an entire industry of “SpongeBob Squarepants” merchandise that the cable network says has brought in approximately $500 million.

“I think the network wants to make a ‘SpongeBob’ movie,” Hillenburg said. “I also want to make a movie. I wouldn’t want to try and work on the series concurrently with the film.”

Nicole Mazer, a spokeswoman for Nickelodeon, said no movie deal has been set. “Nothing’s been signed between Hillenburg and Nickelodeon,” she said. She confirmed that “SpongeBob” production will “go on hiatus for a while.”

In the meantime, she said, fans need not fear immediate withdrawal symptoms. There are at least 20 episodes in the pipeline that have not been seen, she said.

Whether he does the “SpongeBob” film or not, Hillenburg said he will not re-sign for the TV show when the current contract ends. It’s not an unusual time to stop, Hillenburg said. Many animation shows end at around 60 episodes. Some resume production at a later date.

Nickelodeon’s “Rugrats,” for example, stopped at 65 segments. “Then they made a movie, and after that they came back and made more episodes for TV. That could eventually happen with ‘SpongeBob’ too,” Hillenburg said, “although I really have no idea what I’ll do.”

But Nickelodeon can do anything it wants. The studio owns all rights to the show and to franchises for “SpongeBob” merchandise. Hillenburg sold his rights to get his concept made, he said.

“You could never get anything made if you didn’t sell” ownership to the people who are spending the money to make it, he said.

Nickelodeon could continue to produce new episodes without the show’s creator being involved, as happened years ago with the channel’s “Ren & Stimpy” series.

But he doesn’t think Nickelodeon would. “I think they respect that my contribution is important,” Hillenburg said. “I think they would want to maintain the original concept and quality.”