HBO Max is losing one of the most popular shows in their US catalogue in a matter of days – South Park will disappear from the streamer on August 5. The streaming rights for the beloved animated series now belong exclusively to Paramount Plus.
All 26 seasons are already available to watch on the Paramount streaming site, along with the controversial first episode of season 27, which features Donald Trump and Satan getting cozy in bed.
This news come after Park County and Paramount finally inked a wide-ranging deal last month following a long licensing dispute. Amidst the ongoing Paramount-Skydance merger review, the show's creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone threatened with legal action as they accused Skydance of vetoing a ten-year deal worth $300 million per year that Park County believed it was agreed upon with Paramount (via The Hollywood Reporter).
"This merger is a sh*tshow and is f*cking up South Park. We are at the studio working on new episodes and we hope the fans get to see them somehow," Parker and Stone said on X in early July.
The season 27 premiere was pushed back a few weeks and the show disappeared from Paramount Plus outside of the US as a result of this disagreement, angering viewers in the process.
It has been a bumpy ride for South Park fans this summer, but the dispute has finally ended. Paramount closed the deal with Park County with an estimated value of $300 million, but for five years instead of ten. Paramount Plus now holds the show's global streaming rights exclusively.
If you were used to watching South Park on HBO Max, you only have a few more days to do so before the show starts a new streaming era in the US.
The next episode of South Park season 27 has been delayed a week, and will be released on August 6 on Comedy Central, and the next day on Paramount Plus. For more on the show, check out our South Park season 27 release schedule, or our ultimate guide to the best South Park episodes ever.
