SpongeBob SquarePants creator Stephen Hillenburg dies at 57

Stephen Hillenburg.
(Image credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Paramount International)

Stephen Hillenburg, who created one of the most popular cartoons of all time with Nickelodeon's SpongeBob SquarePants, has died at age 57.

Hillenburg died Monday after a battle with ALS, Variety reports. He revealed his diagnosis in March 2017, saying at the time that he would "continue to work on SpongeBob SquarePants and my other passions for as long as I am able" and thanking fans for "the outpouring of love and support," per USA Today.

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.