South Park Creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone Reportedly Enlist the Services of a 'Bulldog Negotiator' as Row Over Reported $3 Billion Deal Threatens Season 27 Release Date

The planned premiere of South Park Season 27 is now in jeopardy as series creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, Paramount Global, and new studio owner Skydance clash over a proposed $3 billion deal.

Earlier this month, Parker and Stone voiced their frustration over Paramount’s decision to delay Season 27 by two weeks in a social media post that could’ve come straight from the show.

“This merger is a s**tshow and it’s f**king up South Park,” they said in a joint statement. “We’re at the studio working on new episodes and we hope fans get to see them somehow.”

pic.twitter.com/gNwBAtjOh4

— South Park (@SouthPark) July 2, 2025

Season 26 first aired over two years ago in March 2023 with just six episodes, followed by three additional standalone episodes between October 2023 and March 2024.

Now, according to an in-depth report from The Hollywood Reporter, the dispute centers on a new 10-year, $3 billion overall deal for Parker and Stone—“one that would more than triple the value of their current contract, set to expire in 2027.”

So what’s next? It’s “increasingly likely” the conflict will head to court, as Parker and Stone have hired Bryan Freedman, “a high-profile lawyer and aggressive negotiator known for his relentless legal tactics.” The looming threat is a lawsuit accusing Skydance of interfering in contract talks.

Skydance reportedly maintains it has approval rights over contracts—especially since its merger with Paramount is still pending. The proposed length of the new deal is reportedly too long for Skydance, which wants to stay nimble.

Season 27 was slated to debut on July 23, but that date now hangs in the balance. South Park’s streaming rights expired on June 30, prompting Warner Bros. Discovery to extend its domestic deal to keep the show on HBO Max. Meanwhile, South Park was removed from Paramount+ internationally last week.

Check out The Hollywood Reporter’s article for all the details.