Warner Bros Discovery sues Paramount over 'South Park' streaming rights

Warner Bros Discovery Inc is suing Paramount Global for hundreds of millions of dollars in damages from the rights to stream "South Park," the popular animated comedy featuring foul-mouthed children.

The defendants also include MTV and South Park Digital Studios, a joint venture between Paramount, and "South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone

According to its complaint, Warner paid Paramount, Parker, and Stone over $500 million in 2019 for the exclusive right to stream 333 episodes domestically on HBO Max, including the forthcoming seasons 24 to 26.

In 2020, Warner was informed that it would not receive 10 new episodes, representing season 24, because the COVID-19 pandemic had halted production.

Meanwhile, Parker and Stone began producing other content, while Paramount prepared to launch its Paramount+ streaming service.

In August 2021, Paramount's MTV unit announced an agreement to stream new "South Park" content on Paramount+, through season 30 in 2027.

Warner now expects to receive only 14 of the 30 new "South Park" episodes it had been promised, including two "Pandemic Specials" that Paramount claims constitute season 24.

Warner alleged that the defendants engaged in a campaign of verbal trickery designed to circumvent the terms of the 2019 agreement.

Meanwhile, Paramount insists that the claims are without merit, which it looks forward to demonstrating through the legal process.

It was on Comedy Central, owned by Paramount, where "South Park" was launched in August 1997.