Topline
HBO’s parent company Warner Bros. Discovery filed a federal lawsuit Friday accusing Paramount of “stealing” its content and breaking the terms of a half-billion dollar licensing agreement, alleging paramount has unfairly been airing episodes of the hit Comedy Central show “South Park” on its streaming platform Paramount+.
Matt Stone, left, and Trey Parker, co-creators of “South Park,” pose together at the 15th … [+]
Key Facts
While new episodes of “South Park” air on Comedy Central, which is owned by Paramount, the network and the show’s creators held an auction in 2019 for the rights to to show reruns and 30 new episodes on a streaming platform — an auction won by Warner/HBO, according to the suit, which Warner Bros. Discovery filed in New York Supreme Court Friday.
Warner Bros. Discovery said it paid more than $1.6 million per episode for 333 episodes — the 303 episodes from the existing library and 30 episodes of new content.
The suit alleges that following the auction, Paramount launched its own streaming network, Paramount+, and set about engaging “in an illicit scheme to unfairly and deceptively divert to its nascent streaming platform South Park content belonging exclusively to Warner/HBO.”
WarnerMedia is also alleging that a $900 million 2021 deal ‘South Park” creators signed with MTV, a Paramount Subsidiary, for exclusive “South Park” content, including 14 “South Park” movies, violates the 2019 agreement
The companies are now at odds over 16 episodes: Warner/HBO was originally promised three 10-episode seasons, but has since been told the three seasons will only be composed of 14 episodes total.
WarnerMedia is seeking unspecified damages, arguing it has incurred monetary losses it will explain at a trial — if the case makes it to trial.
Chief Critic
A spokesperson for Paramount Global told Variety WBD’s claims are without merit. “Paramount continues to adhere to the parties’ contract by delivering new South Park episodes to HBO Max, despite the fact that Warner Bros. Discovery has failed and refused to pay license fees that it owes to Paramount for episodes that have already been delivered, and which HBO Max continues to stream,” the spokesperson said.
Key Background
This is not the first sale of the streaming rights to “South Park.” Comedy Central previously licensed the comedy show to Hulu in consecutive deals worth $87.5 million and $110 million. The 2019 fight over streaming rights to the show was reportedly hotly contested with most platforms submitting bids to own the collection.
What To Watch For
The streaming rights for the collection of “South Park” will be up for grabs again in the summer of 2025.
Further Reading
Behind the $935M ‘South Park’ Deal: How Trey Parker, Matt Stone Keep Cashing In (The Hollywood Reporter)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/anafaguy/2023/02/24/hbo-max-accuses-paramount-of-stealing-south-park-episodes-in-federal-lawsuit—heres-what-to-know/