South Park fans outside the United States were met with disappointment this week as the long-running animated comedy was unexpectedly removed from Paramount+ globally. The removal comes after the platform’s international streaming license expired, and ongoing negotiations to renew the rights have yet to yield a resolution. Read on for the full details of just how messy the situation is.
While the show remains available on HBO Max in the U.S. despite that license also expiring in late June, South Park is now unavailable on Paramount+ in any international territory which is a surprising move given the franchise’s importance to Paramount Global's content library.
The delay in securing a new deal coincides with mounting internal friction surrounding Paramount Global’s pending acquisition by Skydance Media, a deal that has complicated South Park's streaming future.
At the heart of the dispute are Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of South Park and co-owners of South Park Digital Studios, the joint venture with Paramount Global that manages the franchise’s rights. The duo has grown increasingly frustrated with how the deal has been handled so far, especially regarding the fate of South Park's streaming distribution.
In a legal letter sent last month, a lawyer representing Parker and Stone’s Park County addressed RedBird Capital, Skydance, and incoming Paramount Global President Jeff Shell, accusing them of interfering in ongoing negotiations. The letter also revealed that both HBO Max and Netflix have been in talks over possible non-exclusive streaming rights to the series.
Creators Speak Out On X
Parker and Stone didn’t hold back in voicing their frustrations publicly either. After South Park Season 27’s premiere was delayed from July 9th to July 23rd, the creators posted to X (as seen above), writing specifically:
"This merger is a sh*tshow and is f*cking up South Park."
Their post reflects the increasingly chaotic fallout from the merger’s uncertainty, which appears to be having real-time consequences on one of Paramount’s most valuable intellectual properties.
South Park had previously been expected to move to Paramount+ once its $500 million exclusive licensing deal with HBO Max expired this summer. In fact, Paramount Global co-CEO Chris McCarthy told investors in May that "starting this July, [South Park] will be coming to Paramount+ in the U.S." That statement now appears premature due to the current situation.
Despite its global removal from Paramount+, the series remains available on Comedy Central, and a few South Park specials produced specifically for Paramount+ still reside on the streaming service. However, the entire series library a major driver of subscriber interest is currently unavailable for streaming globally outside those few exceptions.
What’s Next For South Park?
With South Park Season 27 scheduled to premiere soon on July 23rd, time is running out to hammer out a deal. A new streaming agreement must be finalized in the next 10 days if the show's return is to proceed without disruption.
Whether the solution lies with Paramount+, HBO Max, or even a broader non-exclusive deal involving multiple platforms, the situation is a high-stakes clash over one of TV’s most enduring animated franchises. And for now, fans and platforms are stuck in the middle of it. Stay tuned to Toonado.com for more updates as they appear.