‘South Park’ secures $1.5 billion streaming deal with Paramount+
The irreverent, foul-mouthed kids of “South Park” have just landed a blockbuster streaming deal, making their creators major players in the ongoing streaming wars.
Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the Emmy- and Oscar-nominated creators of the iconic animated series, have signed a five-year agreement with Paramount worth an estimated $1.5 billion, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
The deal, valued at approximately $300 million per year, secures the global streaming rights to “South Park” on Paramount+, significantly bolstering the platform’s content library.
Sources familiar with the negotiations confirmed to Variety that an agreement has been reached, though the details remain under wraps. Paramount declined to comment, possibly due to the deal not being fully finalized.
This milestone comes after months of tension between Parker and Stone and Paramount executives, particularly Jeff Shell, the incoming president of the company, who allegedly interfered with previous contract talks involving Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) and Netflix. Earlier reports suggested that a decade-long, $3 billion pact had been on the table before Paramount’s pending acquisition by Skydance threw negotiations into disarray.
The behind-the-scenes drama reportedly contributed to a two-week delay for the premiere of “South Park” Season 27, now scheduled to debut on July 23. In response, Parker and Stone vented their frustrations on social media, stating:
“This merger is a shit show and it’s fucking up ‘South Park.’ We are at the studio working on new episodes and we hope the fans get to see them somehow.”
With this new agreement, “South Park” episodes will stream on Paramount+ in the United States for the first time, marking a major shift for the long-running series. HBO Max previously held exclusive streaming rights, but that deal expired last month. Paramount+ had already aired several “South Park” specials, but the new pact firmly consolidates the franchise under its umbrella.
The timing is strategic, aligning with both the 27th season premiere on Comedy Central and Parker and Stone’s upcoming San Diego Comic-Con appearance.
In addition to the streaming rights, Parker and Stone are renegotiating their overall deal with Paramount to continue producing new episodes beyond their current contract, which is set to expire in 2027. Their last major deal — valued at $900 million — was struck in 2021 and financed Paramount+ streaming specials.
For Paramount+, this acquisition is a significant victory in its battle against streaming heavyweights like Netflix, Disney+, and HBO Max, especially as its parent company undergoes a major transition with the Skydance acquisition.
Since its 1997 debut, “South Park” has grown from a crude, cutout-style animation to a cultural phenomenon, renowned for its sharp, fearless satire on politics, pop culture, and everyday absurdities.
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