South Park creators Trey Parker, Matt Stone say Skydance is blocking $2.5 billion deal with Paramount, send legal notice

South Park is never too far from controversies. The popular animated show for adults has been on for two decades. But, its contract with longtime partner, Paramount, is ending in 2027. As the two parties negotiate a deal to extend that contract, South Park's creators have now accused Skydance, the would-be buyers of Paramount, of interfering with negotiations that could net them billions of dollars. Reports in February stated that Trey Parker and Matt Stone, creators of South Park, approached Paramount in February, telling the company they want to keep making the series for many more years and extend a production deal that expires in 2027. The parties were already in talks to find a new streaming home for the series in a deal worth as much as $2.5 billion. HBO Max, which held the rights, was interested. So were several other companies, including Netflix. However, it seems that Skydance Media, the company trying to buy Paramount, has ideas of its own. Reports state that the company contacted HBO parent Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. and Netflix, relaying its own wishes on contract terms and deadlines. That triggered an angry rebuke from the creators of South Park and the threat of legal action, according to a letter reviewed. It has come to our attention that in recent days you contacted both Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery to interfere in the process, Parker and Stone’s lawyer said in the letter to RedBird Capital Partners, an adviser to Skydance and investor in the Paramount deal.