Tuesday January 20 8:11 AM EST 'South Park' May Warp To Bigscreen By Ray Richmond
HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - A feature film based on the warped Comedy Central hit animated series "South Park" is in the early stages of discussion, the show's co-creator said Monday.
"We're psyched to do it," said Trey Parker, who along with co-creator and producer Matt Stone is currently starring in the live-action comedy feature "BASEketball."
However, Parker said there are certain conditions attached to any potential movie project based on "South Park," which sets ratings records for Comedy Central each time a new episode is rolled out.
"We would only do (a movie) if we could make it R-rated," Parker said, "something like we did with 'The Spirit of Christmas' (the profane underground short that led to the creation of South Park). The 'Beavis and Butt-head' movie was just a movie-length version of the TV show. We'd want something different than that."
But it's all preliminary, Parker acknowledged. And Comedy Central's owners, Paramount and Warner Bros., would have to "duke it out" for control of the project.
Comedy Central announced Monday that the network has ordered 20 new "South Park episodes for the show's second season (pegged to launch the end of May), has just signed up its 100th advertiser and will wrap its freshman campaign with a cliffhanger episode on Feb. 25.
"The cliffhanger involves Cartman's father," Stone said. "We're not sure who he is, but he is someone in town."
A fresh "South Park" episode will air each Wednesday night at 10 p.m. during February, including the cliffhanger and another that centers on a pay-per-view extravaganza pitting Jesus vs. Satan.