Trey Parker Net Worth: Inside the Billion-Dollar Empire of the ‘South Park’ Creator
Trey Parker, the creative force behind South Park, The Book of Mormon, and Team America: World Police, has built one of the most lucrative entertainment empires in Hollywood. As of 2025, Trey Parker net worth is estimated at $1 billion, making him one of the wealthiest writer-directors in the world.
| Trey Parker Net Worth | $1 Billion |
| Date of Birth | October 19, 1969 |
| Place of Birth | Conifer, Colorado |
Parker’s fortune comes not only from his decades-long success as an animator and producer but also from a single, brilliant contract clause that forever changed the economics of television. Alongside his creative partner, Matt Stone, Parker turned South Park into a billion-dollar franchise that continues to earn enormous profits through television, streaming, merchandise, and stage productions.
Early Life
Randolph Severn “Trey” Parker III was born on October 19, 1969, in Conifer, Colorado. His father, Randy, was a geologist, and his mother, Sharon, worked in insurance — names he later borrowed for South Park’s Stan Marsh family.
Parker showed early signs of creativity and dark humor. In sixth grade, he wrote and performed a skit titled “The Dentist” that used so much fake blood it terrified younger students. By his teens, he was making short films and writing comedy songs, including a parody album titled Immature: A Collection of Love Ballads for the ’80s Man.
After high school, Parker attended the Berklee College of Music for one semester before transferring to the University of Colorado at Boulder, where he met Matt Stone. Their partnership would soon become one of the most successful creative collaborations in television history.
The Origins of South Park
While studying at the University of Colorado, Parker and Stone made a short film called Jesus vs. Frosty, which introduced early versions of the South Park characters. After graduation, they moved to Hollywood and created Jesus vs. Santa — a hilarious, low-budget sequel commissioned as a video Christmas card for a friend.
That short went viral before “viral” existed. It caught the attention of Doug Herzog, then-CEO of Comedy Central, who invited the pair to turn it into a series. In 1997, South Park premiered, quickly shocking and delighting audiences with its crude animation, taboo-breaking humor, and razor-sharp satire.
The show became a runaway success, turning Parker and Stone into household names and redefining adult animation.
Trey Parker Contract
The reason Trey Parker is a billionaire today can be traced back to a single overlooked clause in South Park’s original 1997 contract with Comedy Central. At the time, digital streaming didn’t exist, but Parker and Stone’s attorney wisely included a provision granting them 50% of all revenue generated outside of traditional television broadcasts.
For nearly a decade, the clause meant little — until 2007, when YouTube and Netflix began transforming media distribution.
When South Park’s contract came up for renewal, the duo’s legal team leveraged that clause to secure control over the show’s digital rights, establishing South Park Studios and ensuring they received half of all streaming and online income.
This one line of legal foresight would make them hundreds of millions of dollars richer over the next two decades.
- In 2015, Parker and Stone earned half of Hulu’s $192 million licensing deal for South Park.
- In 2019, they collected another windfall from HBO Max’s $500 million streaming agreement.
- In 2025, the pair became embroiled in a new legal battle over a potential $2.5 billion global streaming deal, as they sought to protect the clause that keeps them in control of the South Park empire.
2021 ViacomCBS Deal
In August 2021, Parker and Stone signed a monumental six-year, $900 million deal with ViacomCBS (now Paramount Global). The agreement included six new South Park seasons and 14 exclusive movies for Paramount+.
The deal further cemented Parker’s billionaire status and guaranteed a steady stream of new projects, proving South Park remains one of the most profitable entertainment franchises ever.
Films, Theatre, and More
Trey Parker’s creative portfolio extends far beyond television.
Film Success
- Cannibal! The Musical (1993) – His first feature film, made as a student project and later distributed by Troma Entertainment.
- Orgazmo (1997) – A cult comedy that premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.
- BASEketball (1998) – A sports comedy where Parker starred as Joe Cooper.
- South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999) – The feature-length South Park film grossed over $83 million and earned an Oscar nomination for the song “Blame Canada.”
- Team America: World Police (2004) – A puppet-driven political satire that remains a cult classic.
- Despicable Me 3 (2017) – Parker voiced the villain Balthazar Bratt in the billion-dollar box office hit.
The Book of Mormon
In 2011, Parker and Stone, alongside Avenue Q co-creator Robert Lopez, debuted the Broadway musical The Book of Mormon. The show was an instant phenomenon, winning nine Tony Awards and a Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album.
The musical has since grossed over $1 billion in worldwide ticket sales, merchandise, and touring — a staggering achievement that rivals the profits of South Park itself.
Trey Parker Awards
Trey Parker’s work has earned him a mountain of accolades:
- 18 Primetime Emmy nominations, with five wins for South Park
- Academy Award nomination for “Blame Canada”
- Nine Tony Awards and one Grammy for The Book of Mormon
- Annie Award, PGA Award, and multiple critics’ honors for writing and music
His distinctive voice performances — including Eric Cartman, Stan Marsh, and countless others — remain central to South Park’s enduring success.
Real Estate
Parker’s billion-dollar status is reflected in his extensive real estate portfolio.
He owns multiple properties across the U.S. and beyond, including:
- A $14 million mansion in Los Angeles
- A $6.2 million Brentwood estate purchased in 2019
- A Manhattan condo worth over $7 million combined
- A Hawaiian riverfront mansion on Kauai
- A large Colorado compound in Steamboat Springs
These holdings add tens of millions to his net worth and serve as personal sanctuaries between projects.
Personal Life
Trey Parker has been married twice. He wed Emma Sugiyama in 2006, but they divorced in 2008. In 2014, he married Boogie Tillmon, with whom he shares a daughter, Betty Parker — who has voiced Ike Broflovski and the PC Babies on South Park. The couple separated in 2019.
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Known for his irreverent humor and satirical takes on religion and politics, Parker continues to balance creativity and controversy in equal measure.
Philosophy
Trey Parker is known for his relentless pursuit of creative independence. Together with Matt Stone, he founded Important Studios in 2013, ensuring that they retained full control over their intellectual properties.
Their partnership represents one of the most financially successful collaborations in entertainment history — blending sharp satire, fearless commentary, and a refusal to conform to Hollywood norms.
Trey Parker Net Worth
Trey Parker net worth is estimated to be $1 billion.