“Trey Parker and Matt Stone: Paramount Global and Skydance Media Merger is a ‘Sh**show’ for ‘South Park'”

Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the minds behind “South Park,” are feeling anxious about the future of the show. Their concerns are linked to a proposed merger between Comedy Central’s parent company, Paramount Global, and Skydance Media. They expressed their frustrations on X (formerly Twitter), highlighting that the delays for Season 27’s premiere are connected to these network negotiations.

“This merger is a mess and it’s really affecting ‘South Park,'” the duo stated. They are actively working on new episodes, hoping fans will get to see them soon.

The release of Season 27, originally scheduled for July 9, has now been pushed to July 23. This isn’t just a scheduling conflict; it’s part of a bigger issue involving streaming rights. Parker and Stone co-own South Park Digital Studios with Paramount, which currently holds the streaming rights. A lucrative deal with HBO Max, worth $500 million, recently expired, and now Paramount wants “South Park” to become a key feature of its streaming service, Paramount+.

Interestingly, streaming rights for the show are non-exclusive, adding complexity to the situation. Recently, Parker and Stone accused the anticipated new president of Paramount Global, Jeff Shell, of meddling in their deal negotiations. In their letter, they claimed Shell was influencing other companies like Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery to revise their offers, potentially disadvantaging them.

With two years left on a significant $900 million deal with Park County, tensions are high. The community has also expressed concern over these negotiations. As one fan tweeted, “We just want new episodes without all this drama!”

Parker previously noted that the creative team was “waiting for Paramount to sort out their issues.” As fans, we can only hope these challenges don’t derail what has made “South Park” a cultural phenomenon for years.

The stakes are high, not just for Parker and Stone but for fans who cherish this iconic show. The outcome of this merger could reshape the landscape of animated television and influence future projects from the creators.

For more details on the ongoing drama, you can check out this report from THR.

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Comedy Central, Park County, Skydance Media, Paramount Global, Jeff Shell