There’s no question that producers Matt Stone and Trey Parker birthed one of the best animated shows of all time, South Park. Although it’s pretty much an institution I’ve never been a regular viewer. The showrunners have made plenty of other off-beat projects like Book of Mormon and Team America: World Police, but their upcoming release on our 2025 movie schedule, which involves Kendrick Lamar, interests me a lot.
Many are still talking about Kendrick Lamar’s impressive Super Bowl performance featuring SZA. Of course, the acclaimed rapper has plenty of other opportunities on the table. But little did I know he was gearing up for this upcoming live-action comedy from the South Park creators. Stone and Parker are working alongside Lamar and his long time professional collaborator, Matt Free, and the flick is set to be released during 4th of July weekend. It was an update on the movie that caught my attention and really has me thinking about the production.
Matt Stone Shares An Update On His Newest Movie With Trey Parker
While one half of the raunchy cartoon duo, Matt Stone, chatted with Bloomberg about the future of South Park and AI, he teased a bit about the project involving the GNX artist. Via YouTube, when asked about why Cartman and pals have been on pause, the BASEketball actor shared that they’ve been busy with the impending summer release Lamar/Free project, saying:
It’s a movie we’ve already…we’re doing a movie with Kendrick, with Kendrick Lamar and Day Free and their company, and we’re working on it and hopefully come out July 4th weekend… opposite Jurrassic Park, which is pretty funny.
It’s honestly wild that the film is only a few months away from release and so little has been revealed as of yet. Of course, given all of the work that the producers have been putting in, it makes since that there hasn’t been a full season of South Park in some time.
The film, for which a title has yet to be announced, centers around a man (Kendrick Lamar) who works as a slave re-enactor at a history museum. He’s eventually thrown for a loop when he learns that his white girlfriend’s ancestor’s owned his centuries prior. When discussing the film, Matt Stone went on to emphasize the genre to which it will belong:
It’s a comedy. Comedy, very funny… [Kendrick Lamar is] very involved. Dave Free [is] very, very involved.
Everything about this statement makes me interested in opening up that outlandish Stone/Parker door and catching the film. The notion of the To Pimp A Butterfly artist and the Orgazmo creators coming together is just too intriguing to ignore.
Why I’m Excited For The Kendrick Lamar-Led Movie
His long and ever evolving beef with Drake, aside, the Compton-born artist is revered in the music industry. Since 2011, Lamar has continually sharpened his skills, ensuring that his work remains fresh and socially conscious. He’s also grown his fan base in the process. Most notably, in 2017, his album Damn. won a Pulitzer Prize, making him the first rapper to earn the award. In short, my fandom is a major reason why I’d give this film a look.
Additionally, this film piques my interest because of the concept, which sounds so wild. I wouldn’t have imagined K-Dot to join a project like this. But he’s one of the most cerebral artists in the industry right now and, if he saw fit to join what sounds like a truly wild film, then it likely resonated with him in a deep way. I’m hopeful that his signature brand of storytelling will shine through in the flick.
Another reason this film has me curious is due to just how unexpected this melding of creative minds is. Matt Stone and Trey Parker have a distinct style, and it starkly clashes with Kendrick Lamar’s. The Book of Mormon alone should tell you what these two producers are capable of from a creative standpoint. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to see how those sensibilities would come together in a single project.
Don’t get me wrong, I still have plenty of questions and need to see more from this movie before I’m completely sold. However, considering Kendrick Lamar as well as Matt Stone and Trey Parker are all good at what they do, I’ll give the the benefit of the doubt, for now. After I see the film when it opens up against the upcoming Jurassic World Rebirth, I’ll be curious if I feel motivated to check out South Park and watch Kenny die (again and again).
If you want to commit to watching South Park now, you can stream the series with a ​​Paramount+ subscription.
