Trey Parker and Matt Stone have made headlines by signing a historic five-year, $1.5 billion streaming deal with Paramount to bring “South Park” exclusively to Paramount+. This agreement marks one of the largest licensing deals ever for a television property. Interestingly, due to a clause in their original contract dating back to 1997, Parker and Stone stand to gain significant financial rewards from this deal.
The Groundbreaking Streaming Agreement
As reported yesterday, Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s new streaming deal grants them the majority rights to the substantial $1.5 billion windfall expected from Paramount+. Under an existing clause in their contract, both creators are poised to earn 50% from this arrangement, equating to approximately $375 million each. Additionally, they still retain ownership of 50% of the property, further positioning them for future lucrative agreements.
Streaming isn’t their only source of revenue. Parker and Stone also generate substantial income through “overall” production deals, which are negotiated periodically. These agreements consist of substantial annual fees paid to them by Paramount for creating exclusive “South Park” content. Their recent deal, finalized in 2021, saw ViacomCBS (now Paramount Global) agreeing to a staggering $900 million to continue producing new episodes through 2027, with the total earnings split equally between the two men.
Recent Developments in Production Deals
Instead of waiting for the completion of their current contract, Parker and Stone acted swiftly to secure a new deal. As revealed by sources close to the negotiations, they have signed a five-year extension covering 2026 to 2030, with an annual payout of $250 million. This translates to a total of $1.25 billion for the upcoming five years dedicated solely to producing new episodes of “South Park.”
This brings their overall production revenue breakdown to:
- 2022–2025: $623 million already earned
- 2026–2030: $1.25 billion secured under the new deal
Thus, their total projected production revenue from 2022 to 2030 is an impressive
$1.873 billion
.
Both agreements likely included significant upfront payments akin to signing bonuses seen in professional sports. When averaged annually, Parker and Stone stand to split around $400 million from 2026 to 2030, which comes to $200 million per person, per year.
Crucially, both deals are set to expire at the end of 2030, providing them a clean slate to negotiate further contracts. Should “South Park” maintain its popularity, they’re anticipated to command multi-billion-dollar agreements moving forward. Considering their trajectory, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them secure a five-year deal worth potentially $2 billion in 2030, alongside a lucrative sale of their 50% stake in the streaming rights and the franchise as a whole to Paramount for an astronomical sum that could reach $10 billion.
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