For a few years, Paramount has been the sole studio championing the return of summer comedies like Y a-t-il un flic pour sauver le monde ? and Scary Movie 6, a genre largely overtaken by streaming this past decade. However, the studio recently merged with Skydance, bringing CEO David Ellison to the helm. Paramount has since shifted towards a more conservative political stance, barely concealed by the Ellison family, who are known supporters of the Trump administration. It's hard to imagine them actively promoting a critical look at America's darkest hours, especially a film where Trey Parker portrays a racist mayor described as "an archetype of a Republican partisan." But apparently, the real issue lies elsewhere.
It's going to be fine
Black Book of Mormon
The Ankler recently published an article delving into the chaos surrounding Whitney Springs. Parker, Stone, and Kendrick Lamar reportedly have complete creative control over the project, limiting Paramount's influence. However, it seems the film has been subject to numerous rewrites and difficult-to-schedule reshoots, primarily due to Kendrick Lamar's touring commitments and Trey Parker and Matt Stone's demanding schedule with South Park.
Since the show's inception, its creators have relied on a last-minute production model for weekly episodes, allowing them to stay topical and, incidentally, surprise Comedy Central. With previews sometimes delivered just hours before broadcast, it's impossible to remove the most provocative elements. Parker and Stone confirm that the time required for recent South Park seasons is the main reason for the Whitney Springs delay, stating in a communiqué to The Ankler:
"We take full responsibility for the film's scheduling delays. We apologize to our partners pgLang and Paramount and are grateful for their patience. South Park and certain personal circumstances got in the way, but we continue to believe in the project."
Reminiscent of Get Out?
Of course, it's hard to imagine that the change in leadership at Paramount isn't playing a small role in this slowdown. Nevertheless, another significant point is the budget. The film is currently estimated to cost around $100 million – a substantial sum for a comedy – despite initial projections of $70-80 million. One source for The Ankler even pushes the current figure to $150 million.
It appears Parker and Stone's often improvisational approach partly explains drastic script changes. The story was initially conceived around an African-American intern at a museum who discovers that his white girlfriend's ancestors owned his own ancestors. Will we ever see the final product? Given the money invested, it's likely, and fans would certainly appreciate seeing the dynamic duo back in theaters. Their last cinematic outing was in 2004 with the brilliant Team America: World Police.
Team America, a masterpiece in the making