Famous for his work on South Park, Trey Parker went from an aspiring filmmaker to one of the owners of the biggest franchises in entertainment. So, how much is Trey Parker worth today?
With Parker scoring a lucrative 50-50 split deal with Comedy Central, he’s grown his wealth over time. As of 2023, Trey Parker holds a massive $600 million net worth.
This post showcases how Trey Parker reached such fame and wealth.
An Overview
Trey Parker always expressed a deep interest in filming and performance arts, leading him to pursue an animation career.
After meeting Matt Stone, the other creator of South Park university, Parker decided to work with him from there. And together, the two went on creating several films together, eventually scoring a deal with Comedy Central.
Early Life
Randolph Severn “Trey Parker,” Parker III was born in Colorado on the 19th of October 1969. Parker grew up with his father, Randy, mother, Sharon, and sister, Shelley. He used his family’s names for one of South Park’s main characters, Stan Marsh’s family.
Growing up, Parker loved Monty Python, were even performed a sketch he made named “The Dentist” in 6th grade. Despite the comedic vibe, Parker’s school called his parents to express their concerns about the amount of fake blood used in the sketch. But that incident didn’t stop Parker from pursuing his love for filming and dark humor.
Hence, Parker began making short movies at the ripe age of 14. But later on, Parker became interested in music and even considered pursuing a career in it. And at this time, Parker performed in a local theatre, even designing sets.
Once Parker began attending high school, he scored the lead role in most plays. After graduating, Parker attended Berklee’s College of Music. But after one semester, Parker decided to pursue filming again instead of music.
So, Parker transferred to the University of Colorado after one semester at Berklee. And this is where Parker met his long-time film partner and co-creator of South Park, Matt Stone.
Career
Trey Parker and Matt Stone have always been passionate animators, founding a production company with two others in 1992 named “Avenging Conscience.” Under this firm, Parker, alongside his partners, released a short film using construction paper cutouts titled “Jesus vs. Frosty.”
The short flick marks the first appearances of the main characters of South Park, including Stan, Kyle, Eric, and Kenny. But it never experienced mainstream success, but Parker and Stone didn’t give up, moving to Hollywood years later.
But the two spent the following years struggling even with an agent, lawyer, and script deal. Years after its release, producer Brian Graden saw “Jesus vs. Frosty,” where he asked Parker and Stone to make a video greeting card for him inspired by the short film “Jesus vs. Santa.”
That marked the beginning of Parker and Stone’s lucrative journey, with Comedy Central executive Doug Herzog asking the two to make it into a fully-fledged series. And it wasn’t long until the duo released the pilot for the show, and thanks to CC’s marketing, the network made over $30 million in merch sales before the show aired.
From there, Parker and Stone earned more lucrative contracts, including the infamous 50-50 split with Comedy Central’s revenue. Over time, South Park grew more and more, with the franchise now worth over $1 billion.
You can find Parker working on other projects when not working on South Park.
Personal Life
Trey Parker tied the knot with Emma Sugiyama, a Japanese-American celebrity, in 2006. But after two years, Parker and Sugiyama decided to divorce, and they didn’t have any kids together. Years later, Parker married Boogie Tillmon, a former exotic dancer, and he became the stepfather to her only child, Kobe.
Unlike Sugiyama, Parker had a child with Boogie, Betty, who has voiced some characters in South Park. After five years of marriage, Parker and Tillmon decided to split, and they agreed on joint custody of Betty.
As of now, Parker doesn’t have a partner known by the public.
How Much is Trey Parker Worth? (Trey Parker Net Worth 2023)
Trey Parker’s net worth stands at $600 million today.
Most of Parker’s wealth comes from his 50-50 split deal with Comedy Central (Viacom). It all began in 1997 when Parker and Matt Stone’s long-time lawyer found a loophole in the clause. And though investments in digital rights weren’t lucrative back then, the two never canceled the deal.
When video streaming platforms rose in popularity, Parker began earning. At that time, the two got between $25 and $30 million each from the network alone. And in 2016, Parker and Stone signed a contract under Hulu worth over $190 million. This clause gave Hulu exclusive streaming rights to South Park for four years, earning Parker and Stone $50 million each.
Years later, Parker and Stone again signed a contract with HBO max for streaming rights. But this time, the two received over $500 million combined.
Parker’s most recent contract with CC is the most lucrative yet, worth over $900 million. This agreement confirmed South Park’s continuation for another six seasons and 14 movies.
Aside from South Park, Parker also gets royalties for his work on other projects. Once, he even lent his voice to Despicable 3’s main antagonist, Balthazar Bratt.
How Does Trey Parker Make Money?
Comedy Central (ViacomCBS) Contract
Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s riches began in 1997 when they scored a 50-50 split deal with Comedy Central. Their longtime lawyer, Kevin Morris, found a loophole in the contract.
Back then, nobody could’ve thought that the digital rights to a network would be profitable. But Parker, Stone, and Morris thought otherwise. Hence, their lawyer added a clause stating they’d get a 50% share of all revenues from CC.
From merch sales to streams, the duo would get their share, all except the show’s TV broadcast.
Although this contract was less profitable in the first two decades, it turned out for the better. And it’s all thanks to video streaming platforms, such as YouTube, rising in popularity and becoming mainstream.
At the same time, Parker and Stone had the chance to make a digital hub for all things South Park. And that included streaming episodes alongside ad revenues, earning them between $25 and $30 million each from CC alone.
Once Viacom saw the massive success behind Comedy Central, they tried arguing their way out of the deal.
But it was all for naught as Parker and Stone had the rights to distribute the show whenever they wanted. Once the duo saw their show getting pirated on YouTube, they decided to put all episodes for free. And instead, they’d earn millions from the digital ad revenues.
From there, Parker and Stone began cashing into streaming services like Hulu. And when they paid over $190 million for four years of rights to the show, the duo earned approximately $50 million each. After, HBO Max got the streaming rights, making Parker and Stone over $500 million.
Paramount Deal
The most recent deal Trey Parker and Matt Stone signed are with ViacomCBS. They signed a nearly $1 billion contract with the network, agreeing to produce 14 more films and six seasons of South Park. And all these will be only available to the streaming service, Paramount+.
South Park Merchandise
Although Comedy Central or Viacom CBS was more meticulous for merchandise rights, Parker and Stone still likely have 10% to 20% shares. But it’s unclear if this has been re-negotiated recently, as they all kept it under the radar. Still, reports state that the network might have a share as high as 80% to 90%.
Real Estate
Aside from his impressive work on South Park, Trey Parker is famous for investing in real estate. Many know him for owning an extensive portfolio of properties worldwide. A few years back, after Parker divorced Boogie Tillmon, he bought a $6 million mansion in LA. Parker already had a $4 million condo at the time,
Moreover, in 2016, he sold his longtime house in California for over $4 million. Aside from those mentioned, Parker also has a riverfront mansion in Hawaii and a massive $14 million estate in LA.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How much is Trey Parker worth in 2023?
A: The co-creator and -founder of South Park, Trey Parker, holds a current net worth of $600 million. Parker established himself as one of the wealthiest comedians in the industry. He and Matt Stone grew South Park into the multi-million dollar franchise it is now from scratch.
Q: Why are the South Park creators so wealthy?
A: Trey Parker and Matt Stone scored an ad-sharing deal with a cable network that gave them a 50-50 split with Comedy Central’s digital revenue. Hence, you can trace the two’s riches flourishing to 2007. And all this was possible with their longtime attorney, Kevin Morris’s help.
Q: Is Trey Parker richer than Matt Stone?
A: Matt Stone has a net worth of $700 million, slightly more than Trey Parker’s $600 million. Stone has a higher net worth because he does some acting on the side for South Park. Notably, Stone voices main characters Kyle Broflovski and Kenny McCormick.
Q: How much is Trey Parker’s South Park franchise now?
A: Once worth next to nothing, South Park has now transformed into a billion-dollar franchise loved worldwide. Reports say the show is worth over $1 billion as of 2023.
Q: Will Trey Parker’s South Park be ending soon?
A: South Park will continue for a while as South Park creators recently signed a lucrative contract with Paramount last year. The duo agreed on a nearly $1 billion contract, ensuring they’d make another 14 South Park movies and six seasons.
Final Words
How much is Trey Parker worth today? As of 2023, 1/2 of South Park’s creator holds a net worth of $600 million. And this makes him among the wealthiest comedians and businessmen in the industry.
Scoring an early deal with Comedy Central, it’s no wonder Parker grew South Park to what it is today. With the help of his and Matt Stone’s lawyer, they managed to get a 50-50 split with the network. And they recently signed a $900 million deal with Paramount, ensuring South Park’s continuation.
Parker and Stone made it possible with their early grip on the industry, finding a loophole to score such a lucrative deal with Comedy Central.
Are you curious about another aspiring comedian turned respected Hollywood figure? Check out Chris Tucker’s net worth next!