South Park To Depart HBO MAX This Week; Movie Is Streaming On PlutoTV For Free

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After a five-year run as a major draw for HBO Max, the long-running animated comedy South Park will be leaving the service on August 5, 2025. This move marks the end of a significant streaming rights deal and the beginning of a new chapter for the beloved series, which will now be exclusively available on Paramount+.

The shift comes as a result of a massive new deal between South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone and Paramount Global, the parent company of both Comedy Central and Paramount+.

In 2019, WarnerMedia (now Warner Bros. Discovery) secured the domestic streaming rights to the show for a reported $500 million. However, as that deal was set to expire, Paramount made a bold play to bring the series back to its own streaming ecosystem.

The new agreement, valued at a staggering $1.5 billion over five years, solidifies Paramount+ as the exclusive global streaming home for the series. This deal includes streaming rights to the entire back catalog of all 26 seasons, as well as the new seasons and a slate of made-for-streaming special events.

The negotiations for this deal were not without their bumps. The process was complicated by the impending Paramount-Skydance merger, which led to public frustration from Parker and Stone and even a delay in the Season 27 premiere. The creators issued a public statement, calling the merger a “shitshow” that was “fucking up South Park.” However, with the deal now finalized, both parties have moved forward, with the show’s new season airing on Comedy Central before streaming on Paramount+.

For fans, the move to Paramount+ means a consolidated library. While HBO Max previously held the main series, many of the recent special episodes and “movies” were already exclusive to Paramount+. The new deal brings all of that content under one roof, providing a single destination to watch every episode and special from the show’s history.

New episodes will continue to premiere on Comedy Central before becoming available to stream on Paramount+ the following day. This arrangement secures the future of the series for years to come, ensuring the show will continue to air on its original network and stream on the company’s flagship service. Even better news, Paramount’s PlutoTV service is now featuring South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut as part of it’s offerings. 

In 1999, South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone released their first feature film, South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. The film was a chaotic and brilliant animated musical that pushed boundaries, challenged censorship, and took aim at a wide range of social and political topics. Decades later, the movie is experiencing a resurgence in popularity, in part due to a recent South Park episode criticizing President Donald Trump, which reignited a debate that has brought the film back into the spotlight. Fans and newcomers can now stream the movie for free on Pluto TV.

The film’s satirical plot centers on a war between the U.S. and Canada, ignited by a new R-rated Canadian movie that corrupts the children of South Park. The story escalates to include an epic battle involving Satan and his lover, Saddam Hussein. More than just a simple cartoon, the movie is a sharp, subversive, and hilarious musical that tackles issues of censorship, parental responsibility, and the hypocrisies of war.

The making of the movie was not without its own controversies. Parker and Stone famously battled with Paramount Pictures over the film’s rating. The studio, hoping for a larger audience and bigger box office numbers, pushed for a PG-13 rating. However, the creators refused to compromise their creative vision, insisting on an R-rating to maintain the show’s signature adult humor and unhinged satire. This commitment to artistic integrity, even in the face of studio pressure, is a key reason why the film remains a milestone in animated comedy.

 

About John Schwarz

John is the Chief Editor and Founder of Bubbleblabber.com. While at first a part-time project, Bubbleblabber quickly grew into a full-fledged operation and officially became a company in 2014. When John isn't running a business full-time, he likes to go to concerts with your mother.