Latest news with #MattStone
Fox News
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
'South Park' creators rip Skydance-Paramount merger as a 's---show', blame deal for delaying new season
The creators of Comedy Central's "South Park" let network parent Paramount Global know on Tuesday that they are not happy with the two-week delay of the latest season of their comedy series. In a statement shared to X on Tuesday, show creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone expressed frustration over their show's premiere getting delayed another two weeks and blamed the potential upcoming merger between Paramount Global and Skydance as the reason for it. "This merger is a s---show and it's f---ing up South Park," the creators declared. "We are at the studio working on new episodes and we hope the fans get to see them somehow." The official "South Park" X account confirmed news of the delay early Tuesday morning, posting, "South Park's 27th season premiere has moved to Wednesday, July 23rd at 10:00pm ET/PT on Comedy Central." Season 27 marks the return of the show after a two-year hiatus. Comedy Central has not yet given a reason for the delay. The merger that Stone and Parker pointed to is set to happen by July 6, reported Tuesday, with Skydance to acquire control of Paramount Global and merge both companies. With the merger, Skydance Media boss Jeff Shell is set to become the boss of the soon-to-be-joined companies. Shell has been accused by the "South Park" creators of meddling in their current contract negotiations with Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), The Hollywood Reporter (THR) said. Streaming rights for "South Park" are believed to be non-exclusive and have been shopped around to other platforms, like Netflix or Warner Bros. Discovery's HBO Max, Deadline noted. Parker and Stone's entertainment company, Park County, threatened legal action against Shell's companies, Redbird and Skydance, accusing them of directing Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery to alter terms of their offers for streaming deals with "South Park" that would benefit Paramount following the merger. According to them, Shell has sought to exert pressure on these platforms and their prospective deals with the show to ensure that Paramount+ gets to stream the show's new season exclusively for a certain time, at the expense of Park County. Parker and Stone accused Shell of "urging WBD to give Paramount+ an exclusive 12-month window for new episodes of the show and to shorten the term of the deal from 10 to five years, which could worsen the studio's bid for the series," THR reported, describing a letter sent on behalf of Park County. "We hereby demand that you, Redbird, and Skydance immediately cease your interference," the letter states. "If these activities continue, we will have no choice but to act to both protect our rights and discharge any obligations we may have to the public." Paramount and the "South Park" creators did not immediately reply to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Trey Parker and Matt Stone Allege Paramount Global and Skydance Media Merger Is ‘F**king Up' ‘South Park': It's a ‘Sh**show'
Trey Parker and Matt Stone are predicting a downward spiral for 'South Park' amid the proposed merger between Comedy Central parent Paramount Global and Skydance Media. The 'South Park' co-creators took to X to slam the delays for their Season 27 premiere, linking the date change to the network negotiations. 'This merger is a shitshow and is fucking up 'South Park,'' the duo wrote. 'We are at the studio working on new episodes and we hope the fans get to see them somehow.' More from IndieWire Marvel Finally Went There with Its 'Ironheart' Finale - and a Killer Cameo 'The Bear' Renewed for Season 5 at FX Season 27 was set to debut July 9 on Comedy Central; it was announced today, July 2, that the season will premiere July 23. The Comedy Central crown jewel 'South Park' has been at the center of a threatened lawsuit between Parker and Stone's Park County and Paramount. Parker and Stone co-operate joint venture South Park Digital Studios with Paramount; the company owns the streaming rights to the hit animated series. The $500 million exclusive streaming licensing deal with HBO Max, as inked in 2019, recently expired in late June 2025. Paramount is pushing for the series to belong to the Paramount+ streaming platform. Yet the 'South Park' streaming rights are non-exclusive, and Parker and Stone are alleging that expected Paramount Global President Jeff Shell (after the Skydance merger) is interfering in deal negotiations. There are two years left on Paramount's $900 million overall deal with Park County. THR previously reported that Park County has threatened legal action against RedBird Capital executive Shell, claiming he is 'directing Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery to modify certain terms of their offers in a 'manner calculated to benefit Paramount at the expense' of the company,' as THR cited from an attorney letter. Shell allegedly was asking HBO Max parent company WBD to give Paramount+ an exclusive 12-month window for new 'South Park' episodes, among other amendments to a streaming offer. 'We hereby demand that you, Redbird, and Skydance immediately cease your interference,' the Park County letter states. 'If these activities continue, we will have no choice but to act to both protect our rights and discharge any obligations we may have to the public.' Parker previously told Vanity Fair in 2024 that the 'South Park' was 'waiting for Paramount to figure all their shit out' amid the election. Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie Nicolas Winding Refn's Favorite Films: 37 Movies the Director Wants You to See
The Independent
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
South Park creators issue statement to fans after new season delayed
Comedy Central announced a two-week delay for South Park's season 27 premiere, moving it from July 9 to July 23. Creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone issued a strong statement, blaming the delay on the ongoing merger between David Ellison's Skydance and Paramount Global. The creators expressed frustration, stating the merger is 'f***ing up South Park ' and hoping fans will still be able to watch new episodes. Questions remain about the show's streaming future after its exclusive licensing deal with HBO Max expired, though Paramount+ is expected to be its new home. Parker and Stone had previously indicated they might intentionally delay the season due to the challenges of covering the presidential election.
The Hill
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Hill
‘South Park' creators call Paramount-Skydance merger ‘a s—show'
The creators of 'South Park' are blasting the planned merger between Paramount and Skydance following the delay of their animated series' season premiere. 'This merger is a s—show and it's f—ing up 'South Park,'' said a Wednesday statement posted on social media from the Comedy Central show's account and attributed to creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. 'We are at the studio working on new episodes and we hope the fans get to see them somehow,' the statement from the pair behind 'South Park,' who are reportedly in a battle over streaming rights for the long-running comedy program, added. The response from Parker and Stone came after Comedy Central reportedly delayed the release of 'South Park's' 27th season by two weeks, from July 9 to July 23. The show is known for satirizing the political climate and current events with razor-sharp and sometimes controversial and profanity-laden commentary. Paramount, which owns Comedy Central, is currently working to complete a mega-merger with Skydance in a deal worth an estimated $28 billion. Paramount this week also agreed to pay some $16 million to settle a lawsuit brought by President Trump over the CBS News interview with then-Vice President Harris that aired on '60 Minutes' last year.
Daily Mail
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
South Park season 27 cast into doubt as behind-the-scenes feud delays new episodes
The creators of South Park have slammed Comedy Central after it was revealed that season 27 has been delayed even further. New episodes of the cartoon were expected to arrive on the network on July 9, however it has since been announced that they will now air on July 23. In response to the press release from Comedy Central about the change in premiere date, the show's creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone issued a scathing statement. 'This merger is a sh**show and it's f**king up South Park,' they said on the official X (formerly Twitter) account for South Park. 'We are the studio working on new episodes and we hope the fans get to see them somehow.' The $8 billion merger, which is set to combine David Ellison's Skydance and Paramount Global, is scheduled to close by July 6. Frustrated fans – who have already been waiting for over two years for the series - voiced their disappointment over the fresh delays. Taking to X, one complained: 'This is a petty way of dealing with the Paramount/Warner dispute. Fans have been waiting a long time for a new season and they are pushing it back only for that reason.' Trey Parker and Matt Stone issued a scathing statement in which they hit out at the 's**show merger' set to combine Skydance and Paramount Global 'Oh no not delayed again,' said another. A third added: 'I have a feeling it got pushed back because of the legal battle right now.' 'Come one man, I was so excited to watch S27 on my birthday,' added a fourth. But others reasoned that it wasn't too much longer to wait. 'I was looking forward to next week but a two-week delay isn't that bad,' said one. Another added: 'I've waited two years for South Park to come back like it's a HBO show or something. 'What's two more weeks of waiting? God I'm so excited.' South Park has been delayed due to an ongoing issue with streaming rights. Last week, its $500 million exclusive streaming licensing deal with HBO Max came to an end and has not been replaced. Additionally, Comedy Central parent Paramount Global has long stated that it wants the show to air on its own streaming platform, Paramount+. Parker and Stone also recently threatened Paramount with legal action, alleging that incoming president Jeff Shell was interfering in their Warner Bros. Discovery and Netflix contract negotiations. As it currently stands, South Park's 27th season premiere will air on Wednesday, July 23 at 10pm ET/PT on Comedy Central.
