Why the process in South Park can mean that season 27 is the last series

South ParkAt the border of the 27th season, he is caught in turbulence from behind the scenes, which now threatens the future of the series. The center of the conflict has $ 8 billion in the acquisition of Paramount by David Ellison Skydance Media, an agreement that became the main inflammatory point for the creators of Matt Stone and Trey Parker.

Trouble really began in 2019, when Stone and Parker 50/50 sharing ads with a headquarters belonging to Viacom ended. Stone and Parker followed this signing of a five -year -old$ 500 million rights to a streaming stream from Warnermedia (soon there will be Warner Bros. Discovery) to only streamly send all existing and new South Park Seasons from June 2020 to mid -2025.

Later in 2021, The duo has signed a huge agreement worth $ 900 million with viacomcbs (now Paramount Global) for six seasons and 14 films (currently referred to as special), which are to be streamly sent to Paramount Plus to strengthen its catalog. He also had license rights to stream to all previous sections of the series to international markets.

Things were sweet until several years passed, the Warner Bros contract. Discovery was similar, and Stone and Parker did not have new episodes. Suddenly, Warner Bros. Discovery sued Paramount Global In 2023, claiming that his competitor broadcast new episodes of the popular animated comedy series after Warner paid for exclusive rights. Warner Bros was upset Paramount Got Two “Pandemic specialties” While he was still waiting for new episodes for the new season, and that the specialties should be offered Warner Bros. In 2020, Pandemic slowed down the production of new episodes, but they managed to release two specialties inspired by the experience of Covid-19, respectively in September 2020 and March 2021, because they were specialties in South Park, not new episodes, Paramount felt justified, despite the first premiere of the special specialists on his channel, Comedy Central.

The duo and paramount agreed that after the end of the current agreement in 2027, the new 10-year general agreement worth $ 3 billion would be developed for a series. The curveball: skydance media, after many negotiations, is to be purchased by Paramount GlobalAnd reports suggest that he would prefer to have a five -year contract instead. This resulted in an impasse between creators and future owners.

As HBO Max (it’s true, not max) The agreement was approaching the expiry in June 2025, a high rate of high stake with the participation of Warner Bros. broke out. Discovery, Netflix, Paramount/Skydance and potential other platforms. Stone and Parker accused Paramount disturb their ongoing negotiations With competing streamers, such as Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery, both, which are said to submit hosting offers of the series.

While Stone and Parker finally reached a temporary extension with Warner Bros. Discovery to keep South Park The situation remains complex in HBO Max. Separate international license dispute It led to the removal of the program from Paramount Plus on several global markets, although the original specialties remain available on the platform. This forced the most important to delay the upcoming premiere of season 27 from July 9 to July 23, because ultimately several markets are missing, you cannot access it due to a license agreement.

“It’s a combination of shit and fucking South Park“Parker and Stone he wrote in a post on social media July 2. “We are in a studio working on new episodes and we hope that fans will see them somehow.”

Once a temporary contract with Warner Bros. Discovery expires, stream South Park It can become much more difficult in the United States. The program is no longer available on key international markets, such as Canada, Australia, France and Germany, a problem that has already forced the delay of the upcoming season.

If the premiere of the season and the expiry of the temporary agreement, there will be no way to watch the program outside Comeda Central. And if these international territories remain inaccessible or if the new agreement is not protected against 2027, there is a real possibility that any future seasons may be postponed to an indefinite period.