There's trouble brewing in Bikini Bottom. Someone has stolen King Neptune's crown, and it looks like Mr. Krab, SpongeBob's boss, is the culprit. Even though SpongeBob's just been passed over for the promotion of his dreams - to manage the new Krusty Krab - SpongeBob stands by his boss. Along with his best friend Patrick, the two set out on a treacherous mission to Shell City to reclaim the crown and save Mr. Krab's life.

When pirate Burger Beard steals the secret recipe for the beloved Krabby Patties, SpongeBob and friends come ashore to bring back the missing formula. To succeed, they must team up with former rival, Plankton, but soon realize that to defeat a super-villain, they must unleash their inner superheroes.