Los Angeles (AFP)
The creators of the satirical series "South Park" on Thursday signed a lucrative contract to make 14 films broadcast on the Paramount + streaming platform, proof that Hollywood's greed for new content continues to grow.
If MTV Entertainment Studios, owned as Paramount + by the ViacomCBS group, did not disclose the contract amount, Bloomberg News valued it at $ 900 million, which would make it one of the biggest contracts in history. from television.
The Paramount + streaming platform, launched in March, must stand out in this expanding market, dominated by behemoths like Netflix, Disney + and Amazon Prime, in constant search of new content.
Creating new content "with fabulous talents like Matt (Stone) and Trey (Parker) is at the heart of our strategy for the development of Paramount +," Chris McCarthy, president of MTV Entertainment Group, said in a statement.
The contract also includes the creation of new seasons of the animated series "South Park" for the chain Comedy Central until 2027.
The series, which features the adventures of four elementary school children in a small town in Colorado, has been known for its harsh language and humorous treatment of current affairs since its launch in 1997. It has already spawned a film and several video games.
“Comedy Central has been our home for 25 years and we're really happy that they've decided to work with us for the next 75 years,” commented “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone.
The announcement comes after the takeover of actress Reese Witherspoon's production company Hello Sunshine by a large private equity fund, and Amazon's acquisition in May of MGM Studios for $ 8.45 billion.
Paramount + said Wednesday it has 42 million subscribers, when the market leader Netflix has more than 200 million.
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