'Team America: World Police' - Parker and Stone's R-Rated Puppet Comedy on Paramount+

Trey Parker and Matt Stone are back on top of the world thanks to the crass, very timely return of South Park in 2025. After largely keeping politics out of the hit adult animated show following the 2016 election, the duo came back with a vengeance, poking fun at the Donald Trump administration's expense and courting controversy aplenty along the way, including from the White House itself. The series is now back on break, but to tide viewers over, Paramount+ is bringing in another of the duo's satirical efforts beyond the borders of the snowy little mountain town. Team America: World Police, their R-rated 2004 puppet comedy movie, will begin streaming on the platform starting on February 1.

Like South Park, Team America wasn't afraid to address current events, taking on U.S. foreign policy during the George Bush era through the lens of an action film satire. Directed by Parker, who co-wrote it with Stone and frequent collaborator Pam Brady, it centers on the titular heavily-armed organization tasked with protecting the world from terrorism. When North Korean leader Kim Jong Il orchestrates a devastating plot by supplying terrorists around the world with WMDs, the group recruits thespian Gary Johnston to infiltrate cells and gather crucial information for the war on terror. During his time with Team America, Johnston learns the ins and outs of espionage while wrestling with his own self-doubt. Their battles, both abroad against terrorists and at home against the Film Actors' Guild, culminate in a showdown with the North Korean dictator himself, placing the fate of the world in Johnston's puppet hands.

Parker and Stone voiced the vast majority of characters themselves, from the members of Team America to the progressive actors featured as part of the Guild. However, other voices were also provided by Kristen Miller, Masasa Moyo, and Daran Norris. It was a massive undertaking for the South Park duo, given the difficulties of working with the medium of puppetry and the cuts required to get the film down from an NC-17 rating from the Motion Picture Association of America. Parker and Stone's feature was given the rating nine times, thanks to a graphic sex scene between Gary and Lisa that had to be trimmed to only 50 seconds to get past. The final result was largely praised by critics, with a 77% score on Rotten Tomatoes, though it had plenty of detractors outraged by the message on both sides, even earning an angry letter from Sean Penn for his portrayal.

What's Next for 'South Park' After a Massive 2025?

Team America was the last feature film to come from Parker and Stone as they turned their attention back to South Park. That's been a worthwhile move for them, as Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny have just wrapped Season 28 with multiple specials in the books and a massive new $1.5 billion deal at Paramount to keep viewers coming back to Colorado for five more seasons. Although they took 2024 off, the show's ten-episode return was a ratings smash that all but assures the series will remain a cultural touchstone for years to come. No date has been set for when the series will be back, either for Season 29 or another special, but the creators are keeping busy. They're still hard at work on Whitney Springs, their return to filmmaking with Kendrick Lamar and Dave Free, which was delayed indefinitely last year.

Team America: World Police arrives on Paramount+ on February 1. Stay tuned here at Collider for more on the biggest titles coming to and leaving streaming throughout the year.