From Paper Cutouts to Power Players: The Billionaire Rise of South Park's Creators

Courtesy of Paramount+

Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the unapologetic, sharp-tongued duo behind South Park, are now officially billionaires. Yeah, the same guys who animated talking poop and once had a musical called Cannibal! The Musical. In 2025, the comedy rebels cashed in hard, proving that satire, when done right (and relentlessly), can rake in stupid amounts of money.

Let’s rewind for a sec.

South Park first hit TV screens in 1997 with a pilot made from literal construction paper and zero chill. It was crude, offensive, and unlike anything else on TV. The show follows four foul-mouthed kids; Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny, navigating the absurdities of life in their messed-up little Colorado town. But behind the toilet humor was always something deeper: razor-sharp cultural commentary that skewered everyone and everything.

The Hits That Built the Empire

Courtesy of Paramount+

Some of the most iconic South Park episodes are burned into pop culture memory:

• "Scott Tenorman Must Die" – Where Cartman goes full sociopath in what’s widely considered the darkest and most brilliant episode.

• "Make Love, Not Warcraft" – A love letter and takedown of gamer culture that actually won an Emmy.

• "Trapped in the Closet" – An unflinching roast of Scientology (and Tom Cruise) that caused serious backlash and made headlines.

• "Imaginationland" Trilogy – A cinematic, unhinged epic that showed just how creative and chaotic South Park could get when untethered.
  

The show evolved over time, going from shock-value sketches to season-long story arcs that tackled politics, tech, cancel culture, and everything in between. And in true South Park fashion, they kept making enemies, headlines, and... money.

The Billionaire Play

The real game-changer came in 2021 when Parker and Stone inked a $900 million deal with ViacomCBS (now Paramount Global), locking in six more seasons and 14 exclusive made-for-streaming movies for Paramount+. It was one of the biggest content deals ever made, and they didn’t stop there.

They funneled that cash into their own ventures, including:

• Buying Casa Bonita, a weirdly iconic Colorado restaurant featured in the show, which they’ve turned into a real-life fan attraction.

• Launching Deep Voodoo, a deepfake tech company that’s already raising eyebrows — and investment capital, in the AI arms race.

• Expanding into Broadway (hello, The Book of Mormon, another billion-dollar baby).

• Quietly stacking stock in digital platforms and IP-based content deals.
  

By 2025, thanks to smart business plays, streaming residuals, and brand equity built over almost three decades, Trey and Matt officially joined the billionaire club.

What’s Next?

In typical South Park style, they’re not slowing down. Rumors are swirling about new AI-generated content, VR experiences, and another major streaming move. And South Park itself? Still airing. Still offending. Still relevant.

Let’s be real, they didn’t get here by playing it safe. They got here by saying what no one else would, by making people laugh while simultaneously pissing them off. And now? They’re laughing all the way to the bank.