Paramount has sealed a five‑year, $1.5 billion agreement with “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone that hands the studio worldwide streaming rights to the 27‑year‑old animated hit and moves the entire library to Paramount+ in the United States for the first time.
The pact, struck through the pair’s Park County banner, prices the rights at roughly $300 million a year and requires at least ten fresh episodes annually. Paramount aims to roll out the series day‑and‑date, or within 24 hours of its Comedy Central telecast, across Paramount+ and SkyShowtime territories, reversing last week’s removal of episodes in several regions after an earlier licence lapsed.
The breakthrough ends a two‑year tug‑of‑war that began when Warner Bros. Discovery sued Paramount for allegedly steering “South Park” specials to its own platform despite Warner’s $500 million 2019 output deal. A New York judge let key claims proceed in January, setting the stage for depositions that insiders say added urgency on all sides. Complicating matters further, the show’s creators publicly blasted incoming Paramount executive Jeff Shell last month, accusing him of meddling in outside negotiations while the studio’s sale to Skydance Media lingered in regulatory review.
Those tensions forced Comedy Central to delay the Season 27 premiere from July 9 to July 23, a move Parker and Stone called “a ****show” even as they worked on new episodes. With the new contract in place, Season 27 will bow Wednesday and hit Paramount+ the following day, with the full back‑catalog arriving in stages over the next year.
Media analysts view the price tag as a wager that evergreen adult animation can anchor subscriber growth at a time when Paramount’s merger‑bound leadership is under pressure to shore up its streaming slate and balance sheet. For Parker and Stone, the payday follows a separate $900 million 2021 deal for televised movies and keeps them in business with Comedy Central through at least 2029. Industry observers note that the franchise still commands outsized cultural relevance, ranking among the most‑watched shows on U.S. linear cable last year and retaining strong international demand despite intermittent availability.
