“SOUTH PARK” RENEWED THROUGH AN HISTORIC 23RD SEASON AS CREATORS TREY PARKER AND MATT STONE KEEP THE ICONIC SERIES IN ORIGINAL EPISODES THROUGH 2019
Agreement Extends Cable’s Longest-Running Primetime Scripted Series By Three Seasons and 30 Episodes and Will Take “South Park” Through Its Milestone 300th Episode
Hulu to Maintain Rights to New Seasons and Episodes and Remain Only SVOD Home for Current 254-Episode “South Park” Library
19th Season Premieres Wednesday, September 16
NEW YORK, July 8, 2015 – Trey Parker and Matt Stone have reached a new deal with Comedy Central® to extend “South Park” by three seasons and 30 episodes, taking the longest-running primetime scripted series in cable though an unprecedented 23rd season and 304 episodes. The deal for three additional seasons, announced today by Michele Ganeless, President, Comedy Central, ensures the Emmy® and Peabody® Award-winning series will continue to produce new, original episodes through 2019. Parker and Stone will continue to write, direct and edit every episode of “South Park,” as they have since the premiere of the series in 1997. The 19th season of “South Park” premieres on Wednesday, September 16.
In a separate deal, South Park Digital Studios, a joint venture between Parker, Stone and Viacom, has extended its record-breaking deal with Hulu to cover all additional seasons and new episodes. Hulu is the exclusive streaming home of the entire “South Park” library of 18 seasons and 254 episodes and will also remain the SVOD home to all episodes from upcoming seasons.
“Nearly two decades later, ‘South Park’ today remains as important and influential as any series on any platform and has become one of the most recognizable brands to ever come out of television,” said Doug Herzog, President, Viacom Music & Entertainment Group. “Through South Park Digital Studios we will continue to aggressively expand the reach of the ‘South Park’ brand by pursuing additional extensions and licensing opportunities worldwide.”
“‘South Park’ remains the bedrock of Comedy Central and we are thrilled that new episodes will continue to entertain audiences for years to come,” said Ganeless. “The series remains as urgent and relevant now as the day it premiered and at nearly 20 seasons in it continues to draw generations of new fans.”
Said Parker and Stone: “We love working for Doug and with everyone at Comedy Central. They’ve given us an insane level of artistic and creative freedom for almost 20 years. They walk the walk.”
Named “One of the All-Time Greatest TV Shows” by Entertainment Weekly and one of the “All-TIME 100 TV Shows” by TIME, “South Park,” which premieres its 19th season on September 16, was the top-rated comedy series on cable in 2014 among Adults 18-49 and Men 18-34 and was the #1-rated series in primetime across all of television on Wednesdays during its 18th season with Men 18-34 and Men 18-24.
The incredible popularity of “South Park” extends off the television screen with over 46 million fans on Facebook, making it the most-popular cable comedy series on Facebook and one of the Top 10 series in all of television. With over 1.7 million followers, “South Park” is one of the top scripted television series on Twitter and it has ranked #1 or #2 for Comedy Series by Nielsen Social Guide on its premiere nights during the course of its past season. In addition, the series’ award-winning game, “South Park: The Stick of Truth,” which was released last year, received numerous industry awards and a Metacritic rating of 85. A sequel, “South Park: The Fractured but Whole,” was announced earlier this month by Ubisoft® and South Park Digital Studios.
Co-created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, “South Park” premiered on August 13, 1997. Parker, Stone, Anne Garefino and Frank C. Agnone II are the Executive Producers of the Emmy® and Peabody® Award-winning series. Eric Stough, Adrien Beard, Bruce Howell and Vernon Chatman are Producers. Past episodes can be streamed at “South Park’s” website (southpark.cc.com) as well as the Comedy Central App. The complete, 18-season, 254-episode library is available only on Hulu (subscription required).
The agreement with Comedy Central was negotiated for Parker and Stone by their attorney Kevin Morris.
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Jim says
South Park renewed? Hmm, will it be worth it though, l wonder. I’ve never missed an episode but after a year of the absolutely BS misery beginning with Principal Political Correctness (or what ever his name is) l find myself wishing South Park would pull a Bobby style “Dallas” story and all of the last season was just a horrible dream. Otherwise I’m not so sure I want an other year of praying for something funny again.