SpongeBob SquarePants Gets Licensed for New Toy Line

NEW YORK: Nickelodeon, Toynami and the toy company UNKL have inked a licensing agreement to launch a line of SpongeBob SquarePants vinyl toys.

The first series of toys will include SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidward, Mr. Krabs and The Flying Dutchman, and will be available to specialty retailers in the fall. Toynami will unveil prototypes of the figures at Comic-Con International in San Diego this week. The new line will be modeled after UNKL’s successful UniPo figures.

"Our collaboration with UNKL and Toynami has resulted in a truly unique line of figures that showcase SpongeBob‘s spirit through an innovative new toy design," said Manuel Torres, the senior VP of global toys and video games for Nickelodeon Consumer Products. "These products will appeal to SpongeBob fans and collectors of all ages."

"UNKL is thrilled to offer our creative take on one of the most iconic characters in pop culture history," added Jason Bacon, UNKL co-founder. "Combining the irreverence and loveable nature of SpongeBob and his friends with UNKL’s UniPo character and adding the expertise of Toynami, we’ve created something special that fans will love."