South Park is heading into its 27th season, but though many have been waiting for its release in 2024, the fan-favorite animated sitcom has been delayed time and time again.
The show avoided the 2024 election—a first in almost three decades that it hasn’t released new episodes in a year—despite it being a period it has traditionally satirized extensively.
At the time, creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone revealed that Season 27 would be delayed until 2025. But as it was set to be released on July 9, it was once again delayed to July 27.
And as this seems to have something to do with Paramount Global’s merger with Skydance Media, what will be the future of South Park amid industry shakeups?
Why is South Park Season 27 Delayed?
If fans are annoyed and growing impatient over the delayed release of South Park Season 27, Parker and Stone feel the same—if not worse.
In fact, the duo has blamed the last-minute delay on complications stemming from the Paramount-Skydance merger.
“This merger is a shitshow and it’s fucking up South Park,” the two wrote in a statement posted on social media, responding to the news of the delay. “We are at the studio working on new episodes and we hope the fans get to see them somehow.”
For starters, South Park airs on Comedy Central, which is owned by Paramount Global. And while Paramount and Skydance signed an $8 billion deal over a year ago, they have yet to receive FCC approval.
How Does the Merger Affect South Park?
Though the merger may soon receive FCC approval, South Park’s future remains in limbo due to streaming complications. Paramount’s licensing deal for the series has expired, making it available to stream on other platforms.
However, Stone and Parker have accused Jeff Shell, who’s set to become Paramount’s new president after the merger, of interfering in their entertainment company Park County’s streaming negotiations with Netflix and Warner Bros.
In a letter obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, Park County threatened legal action, alleging that Shell asked Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery to modify certain terms of their offers in ways that would benefit Paramount.
Reportedly, Warner Bros. Discovery was urged to “give Paramount+ an exclusive 12-month window for new episodes of the show and to shorten the term of the deal from 10 to five years”—a move that could undermine the studio’s chances of securing the series.
“We hereby demand that you, Redbird, and Skydance immediately cease your interference,” the letter 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.”
What’s Next for South Park?
Though South Park is currently facing several challenges, its future looks bright in 2025. In fact, it's set for a big comeback.
In November 2024, Stone revealed that he and Parker were working on a movie with hip-hop star Kendrick Lamar and his associate Dave Free.
“We are working on a movie. We are doing a movie with Kendrick Lamar and Dave Free and their company,” he told Bloomberg. “And we are working on it, and it will hopefully come out July 4th weekend, opposite Jurassic Park which is pretty funny.”
While there’s no official release date yet, Stone has confirmed that the project is definitely happening.
He also dispelled rumors that South Park’s 2024 hiatus hinted at a possible cancellation.
“We don’t have an end in sight. And actually, and I will say, honestly, it is because it is still such an awesome sandbox,” Stone continued. “I cannot wait to hang out with those characters again, to be cheesy about it, but we love doing South Park."
So, despite the delays, streaming complications, and ongoing speculation, South Park will definitely continue.
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