Following Paramount‘s delay of South Park Season 27, creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone have released a statement ripping the network.
Paramount announced on Wednesday that the premiere of South Park Season 27 on Comedy Central has moved from July 9 to July 23. Within an hour, Parker and Stone went scorched-earth against Paramount, blasting the company’s potential merger with Skydance in the process.
The statement posted to X reads: “In response to the press release from Comedy Central about the change in premiere date for South Park Trey Parker and Matt Stone said – ‘This merger is a s—show and it’s f—ing up South Park. We are at the studio working on new episodes and we hope the fans get to see them somehow.”‘
Why was South Park Season 27 delayed?
There are two likely reasons for South Park’s delay. The first is Paramount’s merger with Skydance, which has been in the works for nearly a year. Parker and Stone did not reveal specifics about the merger in their statement. However, Comedy Central is owned by Paramount, so a merger with Skydance affects the future of South Park.
The uncertainty has led to layoffs, delays, and cancellations within Paramount. The deal has still not been approved by the FCC. July 7 is the next deadline to finalize the deal, though it could be extended. Paramount settling its lawsuit with President Donald Trump opens the door for the merger to be finalized.
The second reason for Season 27’s delay involves South Park’s streaming rights. South Park’s $500 million streaming deal with HBO Max expired last week. Extension talks have been ongoing, but Parker and Stone have yet to find a streaming home for South Park.
The non-exclusive streaming rights have reportedly been shopped to companies like Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery. Parker and Stone have accused Paramount president Jeff Shell of interfering in these negotiations. Paramount likely wants South Park to live exclusively on Paramount+.
It’s been over two years since South Park Season 26 ended. South Park Season 27 is scheduled to premiere on Wednesday, July 23, at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on Comedy Central.
