You’ve probably seen the posters. Maybe a grainy TikTok of "Cartman" in the real world or a headline about a billion-dollar deal. It’s been floating around for years like a weird urban legend that won’t quite die.
Is there a South Park live action movie?
Honestly, the answer is a messy "no, but also yes." People keep searching for a movie where four real kids stand at a bus stop in Colorado, but that isn't exactly what’s happening. Instead, the creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone are knee-deep in a live-action project that is so secretive and so delayed it’s started to feel like a myth.
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Here’s the reality. There is a live-action movie coming from the South Park guys, but it isn't South Park.
It’s an untitled live-action comedy (though some insiders have leaked the title Whitney Springs) produced by Trey Parker, Matt Stone, and—wait for it—Kendrick Lamar. Yeah, the "Not Like Us" rapper. This isn't just a rumor; it’s a massive Paramount Pictures production that has been in the works since 2022.
The plot is wild. It follows a young Black man interning as a slave re-enactor at a living history museum. He then discovers that his white girlfriend's ancestors actually owned his ancestors.
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It’s classic Parker and Stone territory: offensive, social commentary-heavy, and guaranteed to make everyone angry. Vernon Chatman, a long-time South Park writer and the voice of Towelie, wrote the script. Trey Parker is directing.
Why the 2026 Release Date Keeps Moving
If you were looking for this movie in 2025, you’re out of luck. Paramount originally slated it for a July 4, 2025 release. Then it moved to March 2026. As of late 2025, it was pulled from the schedule entirely.
Why the holdup?
- Kendrick’s World Tour: Lamar has been busy winning Grammys and touring the world.
- The "Shitshow" Merger: Trey and Matt haven't been shy about their feelings regarding the Paramount-Skydance merger. They literally called it a "shitshow" on social media.
- Deep Voodoo: The movie reportedly uses insane deepfake technology from Parker and Stone’s AI studio, Deep Voodoo. Perfecting that takes time.
So, while everyone is waiting for a South Park live action movie, they’re actually getting a Kendrick Lamar-produced social satire that just happens to have the same DNA as the show.
What About the Actual South Park Kids in Live Action?
We’ve technically already seen it. Remember the "Grounded Out South" episode? Or the brief moments in the "I Like Turtles" era? They’ve played with live-action cameos for decades.
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But a full-scale movie with real actors playing Stan, Kyle, Kenny, and Cartman? That isn't on the table. Matt Stone has said in past interviews that the charm of the show is the "crappy" paper-cutout look. Moving to live-action for the main series would basically kill the vibe.
Plus, they just signed a $1.5 billion deal in 2025 to keep the show animated on Paramount+ through 2027. They aren't going to fix what isn't broken.
The Misconception of the "14 Movies" Deal
A lot of the "live action" rumors started because of the 2021 deal where Trey and Matt agreed to make 14 movies for Paramount+. People saw the word "movie" and "live action" in the same trades and got the wires crossed.
Those movies—like Post COVID and The Streaming Wars—are "exclusive events." They are animated. They are long. But they aren't theatrical live-action films.
The real live-action energy is being funneled into the Kendrick project. That film, whatever it ends up being called, is the spiritual successor to Team America: World Police. It’s their first non-animated theatrical film in over 20 years.
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What to Expect Next
If you’re hunting for the South Park live action movie, stop looking for Cartman and start looking for updates on the "Untitled Kendrick Lamar/Trey Parker Project."
The production actually began filming in October 2024 in Pomona, California. We know Chloe East and Celeste Octavia are in the cast. We know it’s going to be a musical (or at least have heavy musical elements).
Next Steps for Fans:
- Check the 2026 CinemaCon reports: This is where Paramount usually drops the first real trailers.
- Ignore the "leak" posters: Most of those AI-generated "Live Action South Park" posters on Facebook are fakes designed to farm clicks.
- Watch Deep Voodoo: If you want to see the tech they are using for the real movie, go watch Kendrick Lamar's "The Heart Part 5" music video. That’s the "live action" quality Trey and Matt are bringing to the big screen.
The "real" live-action movie from these creators will likely be the most controversial thing in theaters by the time it finally drops. Just don't expect a kid in a red parka to be the lead.