Matt Stone & Trey Parker: South Park’s Dealmakers

South Park was an immediate hit when it first aired in 1997, and its creators were quick to recognize the internet’s power at spreading the word. While negotiating a contract with Viacom in 2007, they proposed creating a website for fans to watch recent episodes for free. Stone credits the site with keeping South Park from being pirated and heightening its relevance to a generation of cord cutters. As part of that arrangement, the duo secured a 50% stake in all future online deals for the show. That stake is now valued at more than $1 billion, after various streaming services competed for the rights to air reruns.

The new deal, one of the richest in TV history, will take South Park through its 30th season and give ViacomCBS exclusive material to accelerate the growth of Paramount+; the movies will essentially create a “cinematic universe” around the show. Parker and Stone are also working on a documentary series, starting a weed company, and producing a 3D video game set in the world of South Park. They’ve been building a team of “deep fake” artists who specialize in inserting simulations of real people into existing live-action video footage, and they’re developing a movie using the technology.