Trey Parker’s Net Worth 2024: What’s the South Park Star’s Wealth Status? Ever wondered how much the genius behind South Park is worth in 2024? With Parker’s career spanning comedy, film, and theater, his financial standing reflects his tremendous success.
As of 2024, Trey Parker’s net worth is estimated to be around $800 million. This substantial fortune comes from his influential work on South Park, as well as his ventures in film and Broadway, notably the hit musical The Book of Mormon.
Curious to learn more about how Trey Parker amassed his wealth and what’s next for him? Dive into the full article to uncover the details of Parker’s impressive financial journey and his future endeavors.
Here’s a table summarizing Trey Parker’s net worth and a brief biography overview for 2024:
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Randolph Severn “Trey” Parker III |
| Date of Birth | October 19, 1969 |
| Age | 54 years old |
| Profession | TV Producer, Actor, Writer, Director, Composer |
| Net Worth (2024) | $500 million to $650 million |
| Major Works | Co-creator of “South Park”, “The Book of Mormon” |
| Awards | 5 Primetime Emmy Awards, 1 Grammy Award, 1 Tony Award |
| Notable Properties | Ranch in Steamboat Springs, Colorado; Mansion in Los Angeles |
| Business Ventures | Co-owner of Casa Bonita restaurant, potential weed business |
| Personal Life | Studied Japanese in college, married twice, one daughter |
What is Trey Parker’s Net Worth?
Trey Parker is a well-known American writer, producer, director, composer, animator, and actor with a net worth of $800 million.
He is best known for co-creating the hit TV show “South Park” with his college friend and creative partner, Matt Stone. Their journey began with two short films: “Jesus vs. Frosty,” made during their college years, and “Jesus vs. Santa,” which they created after moving to Hollywood.
The success of “Jesus vs. Santa” caught the attention of Doug Herzog, CEO of Comedy Central, who then allowed them to develop “South Park.” The show premiered in 1997 and has become a major success.
In addition to “South Park,” Trey Parker and Matt Stone have collaborated on several films, including “Cannibal! The Musical” (1993), “Orgazmo” (1997), “BASEketball” (1998), “South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut” (1999), and “Team America: World Police” (2004).
They also worked on the Comedy Central series “That’s My Bush!” (2001) and the web series “Sassy Justice” (2020–present). Their Broadway musical, “The Book of Mormon,” has been a huge hit, winning nine Tony Awards and earning over $500 million from ticket sales and merchandise.
Trey Parker voices several characters on “South Park,” such as Stan Marsh and Eric Cartman. He also voiced characters in “Team America: World Police” and Balthazar Bratt in the 2017 film “Despicable Me 3.” His acting credits include roles in “Cannibal! The Musical,” “Orgazmo,” “BASEketball,” “Run Ronnie Run!” (2002), and “Tales from the Crapper” (2004).
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Key Facts
- $900 million deal with ViacomCBS in August 2021
- “The Book of Mormon” has earned $500 million in revenue to date
- Splits 50% of all digital revenue from “South Park”
- $125 million earned from selling streaming rights for “South Park” to HBOMax
- “South Park” IP assets are valued at $1 billion
- Merchandise and foreign syndication generate $10-20 million annually
- Owns at least 10 properties in the U.S.
- Real estate portfolio is worth a minimum of $50 million
Digital Contract
In 2007, Matt Stone and Trey Parker renegotiated their Comedy Central contract, securing a groundbreaking deal in Hollywood.
This new agreement allowed them to establish a digital hub for “South Park,” which included streaming episodes.
The most notable feature of the contract was that it granted them a 50% share of all advertising revenue from the show, whether digital or broadcast.
Thanks to this remarkable deal, Parker and Stone each make an estimated $25-30 million annually from “South Park” broadcasts on Comedy Central alone.
They also receive a 50% cut whenever the show is sold into syndication. For instance, in 2015, Hulu paid $198 million for the streaming rights, and in 2019, “South Park” streaming rights were offered for $500 million. Each time, Parker and Stone earned 25% of the total amount from these deals.
An Extremely Valuable Contract Clause
Matt Stone and Trey Parker were able to secure their lucrative deal with Comedy Central due to a savvy clause in their very first contract from 1997.
Back then, few people anticipated the value of digital rights, but Matt, Trey, and a visionary lawyer did. The lawyer included a clause in the original contract ensuring that the creators would receive 50% of any revenue generated beyond the show’s television broadcast.
For about twenty years, this clause seemed nearly worthless. However, the rise of YouTube and other streaming platforms changed everything. When digital media became a significant revenue source, Viacom briefly tried to dispute the clause.
Ultimately, Parker and Stone succeeded in not only claiming their 50% share of digital revenue but also gaining the right to manage the show’s digital distribution.
Instead of battling piracy on YouTube, Matt and Trey decided to embrace it by uploading every episode for free. This strategy allowed them to earn millions from digital ad revenue. The deal with streaming services further boosted their earnings.
In 2015, Hulu paid $192 million for four years of streaming rights to the show’s back catalog, netting Matt and Trey around $50 million each.
This was the largest streaming deal at that time. When the deal ended in 2019, HBO Max acquired exclusive streaming rights in a deal reportedly worth between $500 million and $550 million.
2021 Viacom/CBS Deal
On August 5, 2021, it was announced that Matt Stone and Trey Parker had signed a major new contract with ViacomCBS. The six-year, $900 million deal involves producing six more seasons of “South Park” and 14 exclusive movies for the streaming service Paramount+.
This contract marks a significant expansion of their collaboration with ViacomCBS, highlighting their continued influence and success in the entertainment industry.
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Merchandise
From the beginning, Viacom and Comedy Central were strategic about merchandise rights for “South Park.” They secured a substantial portion of these rights, reportedly as high as 90%.
While there may have been renegotiations in recent contracts, the current terms regarding merchandise rights have not been publicly disclosed.
Early Life
Trey Parker, born Randolph Severn Parker III on October 19, 1969, in Conifer, Colorado, grew up with his father Randy, a geologist, his mother Sharon, an insurance saleswoman, and his older sister Shelley. These family names were later used for Stan Marsh’s family on “South Park,” and Randy even had a small role as Judge Jerry in “Cannibal! The Musical.”
As a child, Trey excelled in honors classes and was a big fan of Monty Python. In sixth grade, he performed a sketch he wrote called “The Dentist” during the school talent show. The sketch’s use of fake blood led to a call from the school to his parents, as it scared the younger students.
Trey began making short films at age 14. During his teenage years, he explored a music career and recorded a comedy album titled “Immature: A Collection of Love Ballads For The ’80’s Man” with David Goodman. Goodman later wrote for “South Park” and was known for his role as a “fart coach” on the 1998 episode “Terrance and Phillip in Not Without My Anus.”
At 14, Trey also performed in community theater productions, including “Flower Drum Song” and “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” and designed sets for “Little Shop of Horrors.” He attended Evergreen High School, where he starred in all the plays, was head of the choir, and was even prom king.
After graduating in 1988, Trey enrolled at Berklee College of Music but transferred to the University of Colorado at Boulder after one semester. It was there that he met Matt Stone in a film class. Trey’s first film was the 1989 short “Giant Beavers of Southern Sri Lanka.” He and Matt began collaborating on short films such as “Man on Mars” and “First Date.” In 1993, Trey’s short film “American History” won a Student Academy Award.
Career
Founding of Avenging Conscience and Early Projects
In 1992, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, along with Jason McHugh and Ian Hardin, founded the Avenging Conscience production company.
They created the short film “Jesus vs. Frosty” (also known as “The Spirit of Christmas”), which featured the first appearance of characters who would become Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Kenny McCormick, and Eric Cartman.
They also produced a trailer for a fictional film called “Alferd Packer: The Musical,” which gained significant popularity and led to the creation of “Cannibal! The Musical,” a film Parker, struggling with a breakup, invested deeply in as a writer, director, producer, composer, and actor.
Struggles and Breakthroughs in Hollywood
After moving to Hollywood, Parker and Stone faced several years of struggle despite securing an agent, lawyer, and script deal. Trey Parker wrote, directed, and produced “Orgazmo,” which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 1997.
The film rights were purchased by October Films for $1 million. The duo’s creation of “Jesus vs. Frosty” led to a significant opportunity when producer Brian Graden requested a video greeting card, resulting in “Jesus vs. Santa.”
This impressed Comedy Central executive Doug Herzog, leading to the creation of “South Park.” The show’s pilot was produced for $300,000, and Comedy Central’s marketing led to $30 million in t-shirt sales before it even aired.
“South Park” has since aired over 300 episodes across 23 seasons, spawning the film “South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut” and various albums and video games.
Expanding Ventures and Challenges
In 2002, Parker and Stone embarked on the R-rated puppet film “Team America: World Police,” which they co-wrote and produced. Parker directed and wrote most of the film’s songs.
Despite the challenges, including Stone describing it as the worst experience of his life, they began working on “The Book of Mormon” with Robert Lopez, co-creator of “Avenue Q.” The musical premiered on Broadway on March 24, 2011, earning 14 Tony nominations.
Recent Projects and Developments
In 2013, Parker and Stone launched their production studio, Important Studios, preferring to work independently. In 2017, Trey Parker voiced a character in the blockbuster film “Despicable Me 3,” which grossed over $1 billion worldwide.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, they released two “South Park” specials: “The Pandemic Special” (2020) and “South ParQ Vaccination Special” (2021).
Personal Life
Trey Parker married Emma Sugiyama in January 2006, with producer Norman Lear officiating the ceremony. The couple divorced in 2008.
Trey later married Boogie Tillmon in April 2014, and he became a stepfather to her son, Kobe. In 2013, they had a daughter named Betty, who has provided voices for characters such as Ike Broflovski and the PC Babies on “South Park.”
Parker and Tillmon separated in February 2019, and Trey filed for divorce the following month, seeking joint legal and physical custody of Betty.
Parker and Stone are known for their satirical takes on religion. Trey has expressed his views on religious narratives, saying, “All the religions are super funny to me… The story of Jesus makes no sense to me.
God sent His only Son. Why could God only have one son and why would He have to die? It’s just bad writing, really. And it’s really terrible in about the second act.”
Awards and Nominations
Trey Parker has received numerous accolades for his work. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song with “Blame Canada” from “South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut.”
His Broadway musical “The Book of Mormon” was a major success, winning nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Original Score.
The musical also earned Parker a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, along with honors from the Outer Critics Circle Awards and Drama Desk Awards.
For “South Park,” Parker has received 18 Primetime Emmy nominations. He won the Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming Less Than One Hour) in 2005, 2007, and 2009, and for Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming One Hour or More) in 2008, and Outstanding Animated Program in 2013.
Additionally, “South Park” has brought Parker an Annie Award for Writing in an Animated Television or Other Broadcast Venue Production, a CableACE Award for Animated Programming Special or Series, and an Online Film & Television Association Award for Best Voice-Over Performance. He also won a PGA Award for Most Promising Producer in Television.
Parker received NAVGTR Awards for Writing in a Comedy and Performance in a Comedy, Supporting for the video game “South Park: The Stick of Truth.”
He earned a Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Original Score, an MTV Movie Award for Best Musical Performance, and a Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Music.
For “South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut,” he received the Online Film & Television Association Award for Best Music, Original Score.
For “The Spirit of Christmas,” Parker won an Audience Award for Best Short at the 1997 Florida Film Festival and a Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Animation. At the 2003 Santa Monica Film Festival, he and Matt Stone were honored with the Maverick Filmmakers Award.
Real Estate Portfolio
Trey Parker is known for his impressive real estate holdings around the world. In April 2019, shortly after filing for divorce from Boogie Tillmon, he purchased a mansion in Brentwood, Los Angeles, for $6.2 million.
The previous year, he acquired a condo in Manhattan for $3.1 million. He already owned a nearby seven-bedroom unit, which he bought in 2011 for $4 million. In 2016, Parker sold his longtime home in Venice, California, for $4.3 million.
His property portfolio also includes a riverfront mansion in Kauai, Hawaii, a condo in Seattle, several homes in the Hollywood Hills, and a 10,000-square-foot mansion in Los Angeles, which he bought in 2011 for $14 million. Additionally, he owns a large compound in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
