The ugly debate revolves around streaming rights for the ridiculously lucrative show. Paramount co-owns South Park through a joint venture it operates with Parker and Stone called South Park Digital Studios, but the company made an oopsie by selling the rights to Warner Bros. in 2019, before deciding it wanted them back for its own Paramount+ platform when the service was launched. As that license neared its expiration date at the end of June (the show has already been yanked from Paramount+ internationally), Parker and Stone accused Paramount—and specifically RedBird Capital executive Jeff Shell, who would become president of Paramount Global if the Skydance merger goes through—of attempting to screw them over by tampering with potential non-Paramount contracts “in a manner calculated to benefit Paramount at the expense” of their own entertainment company, Park County. Park County produces the series and, since 2007, has received around 50% of its streaming revenue, THR reports.
Skydance insists that it “has the right to approve material contracts,” per a statement to THR. In the meantime, Parker and Stone have taken to social media to deem the merger a “shitshow [that’s] fucking up South Park,” including the date of the show’s season 27 premiere, which was already pushed back two weeks to July 23.
Last month, the creators went so far as to threaten Paramount with legal action over the whole thing, a course Freedman’s appointment implies they’re continuing to pursue. Both parties are taking a “hard-line stance in negotiations,” THR reports, with Kevin Morris—a lawyer known for his support of Hunter Biden (we told you this story had everything)—lending support on the Park County side. “We hereby demand that you, Redbird, and Skydance immediately cease your interference,” the letter Park County originally sent to Shell threatening legal action read. “If these activities continue, we will have no choice but to act to both protect our rights and discharge any obligations we may have to the public.” Hopefully the dispute won’t get quite as messy as Freedman’s other big appointment, but it certainly seems to be trending that way.
