What is Matt Stone’s Net Worth?
Matt Stone, the American actor, writer, producer, and animator, has a net worth of $700 million. He is best known for co-creating the popular Comedy Central series “South Park” with his college friend Trey Parker in 1997.
Stone and Parker have also 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 created the 2001 Comedy Central series “That’s My Bush!” and the 2020 web series “Sassy Justice.”
In addition to their film and TV work, Stone and Parker co-created the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical “Book of Mormon” in 2011, which has grossed over $500 million from ticket sales, merchandise, and more.
Stone voices several characters on “South Park,” including Kyle Broflovski, Kenny McCormick, and Butters Stotch. He also played roles in “Cannibal! The Musical,” “Orgazmo,” “BASEketball,” and other films, and served as a producer on various projects, including “Kenny vs. Spenny” (2007–2008) and “How’s Your News?” (2009).
Early Life and Education
Matt Stone was born on May 26, 1971, in Houston, Texas, and grew up in Littleton, Colorado. He attended Heritage High School and went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics and film from the University of Colorado Boulder in 1993. While in college, he met Trey Parker, and the two began making short films together, including “Man on Mars” and “First Date.”
Early Career and Creation of “South Park”
Matt Stone and Trey Parker founded Avenging Conscience production company in 1992 and made the short film “Jesus vs. Frosty.” They later expanded the film into “Cannibal! The Musical” after it was sold to Troma Entertainment in 1996. The duo moved to Hollywood and struggled until they produced “Orgazmo,” which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 1997. After producer Brian Graden saw “Jesus vs. Frosty,” he asked them to create a video greeting card, which led to the development of “South Park.” The show has aired over 300 episodes over 23 seasons and has spawned a movie, albums, and video games.
“Team America” and “The Book of Mormon”
In 2002, Matt and Trey began working on the R-rated puppet film “Team America: World Police” and later co-created “The Book of Mormon” with writer-composer Robert Lopez. The musical opened on Broadway in 2011 and earned 14 Tony nominations, winning nine. In 2013, the duo launched production studio Important Studios.
Recent Projects
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Matt and Trey released two “South Park” specials and co-created the deepfake technology web series “Sassy Justice.” Stone has said that the series was created to make fun of the fear surrounding deepfakes before the pandemic.
Matt Stone and Trey Parker’s Unprecedented South Park Contract
In 2007, Matt Stone and Trey Parker’s Comedy Central contract was renewed, granting them an unprecedented deal in Hollywood. They were given the rights to create a digital hub for South Park and receive a 50% cut of all ad revenue generated by the show, whether it was digital or broadcast. This deal allows the duo to earn an estimated $25-30 million per year EACH just from the broadcast of the show on Comedy Central.
The contract also grants them a 50% cut of any syndication sales, such as when Hulu paid $198 million for the streaming rights in 2015 or when South Park’s streaming rights were sold for $500 million in 2019. Each transaction earned the duo a 50% cut, or 25% each.
How Matt Stone and Trey Parker Scored a Sweet Deal
In 1997, Matt Stone and Trey Parker signed a Comedy Central contract that included a clause giving them a 50% cut of revenue generated outside of the show’s television broadcast. This clause proved worthless for twenty years until the rise of digital platforms like YouTube. Viacom tried to argue their way out of the clause, but Parker and Stone were successful in owning a 50% cut of non-broadcast revenue and the right to distribute the show digitally as they saw fit.
Instead of fighting piracy, Parker and Stone put every episode of their show online for free, earning millions from digital ad revenue. They profited even more when Hulu paid $192 million for 4 years of rights to the back catalogue, earning each creator around $50 million. In 2019, HBO Max obtained exclusive streaming rights in a deal rumored to be worth $500 million-$550 million.
Viacom/Comedy Central Holds Majority of South Park Merchandise Rights
Viacom/Comedy Central has been savvy in securing merchandise rights for South Park since the show’s inception, reportedly holding as much as 90% of those rights. While the terms of more recent contracts have not been publicly disclosed, Viacom’s early move has likely paid off well in terms of merchandise revenue.
New Contract for Matt Stone and Trey Parker
On August 5, 2021, it was announced that Matt Stone and Trey Parker had signed a new six-year contract with ViacomCBS worth $900 million. The deal includes the production of six seasons of the popular show, South Park, as well as 14 movies that will be exclusive to the streaming service Paramount+.
Personal Life
Matt Stone married Comedy Central executive Angela Howard in 2008, and they have two children together. Stone identifies as an atheist and frequently satirizes religion in his work.
Accolades for Matt Stone
Matt Stone has been nominated for 18 Primetime Emmys for “South Park,” winning Outstanding Animated Program in multiple categories. He also won a CableACE Award, a PGA Award, and a NAVGTR Award, among others.
“The Book of Mormon,” which Stone co-created, won nine Tonys, a Grammy, and other awards. Stone also won an MTV Movie Award, a Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award, and a Maverick Filmmakers Award with Trey Parker.
Stone has earned nominations from the Annie Awards, Behind the Voice Actors Awards, Gemini Awards, and Online Film & Television Association, among others.
Matt Stone’s Real Estate Ventures
In 2005, Matt Stone purchased a 3,000 square foot home in Venice, California for $3.5 million. He listed the property for sale in January 2020 for $4.5 million. Additionally, he owns a smaller property nearby that he acquired in 2003 for $800,000.
Stone also invested in real estate in New York City. In 2008, he spent $5.15 million to purchase an entire floor of a building, which he later sold for $6.15 million in April 2019.
