Paramount+ head of originals Jane Wiseman is departing the streamer as the post-merger combination of it and HBO Max takes shape.
Casey Bloys, co-CEO and chief content officer for Skydance Direct-to-Consumer, announced Wiseman’s departure as part of a memo setting the leadership team for the streaming division of Skydance. Several members of Bloys’ executive team at HBO will remain in their current positions, while Sarah Aubrey, head of originals for HBO Max, will take Paramount+’s original series output under her umbrella.
“HBO must continue its tradition of television excellence,” Bloys wrote, “but we also need 1) HBO Max and Paramount+ to carry their respective momentum forward until we are ready to bring them together, 2) the responsibilities of the teams must be clearly defined so the creative community would also have clarity on where different programming resides in our operation.”
To that end, HBO executives Francesca Orsi (drama series and films), Amy Gravitt (comedy series), Nina Rosenstein (late night and specials), and Nancy Abraham and Lisa Heller (documentary programming) will continue overseeing their respective areas, with Aubrey also leading international programming. HBO business affairs chief Glenn Whitehead has been named president and COO of HBO and Paramount+, and Orsi’s title is upped to president HBO drama series and films (she had previously been at the executive vp level).
The structure — and Bloys’ memo (read it in full, below) — suggest that HBO will continue to be the marquee name in Skydance’s streaming portfolio. Which makes sense: The HBO brand name carries a lot of weight in the industry (and with viewers), and HBO Max’s streaming footprint (about 140 million subscribers worldwide) is considerably larger than that of Paramount+ (about 82 million).
Wiseman joined Paramount+ following Skydance’s 2025 acquisition of Paramount. Working under then-DTC head Cindy Holland, Wiseman greenlit high-profile series including the legal thriller Discretion, starring Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning, The Best of Us with Jeremy Strong, a Clueless update and dramas starring Viola Davis (Ascent) and Anne Hathaway (Fear Not). She also oversaw the prolific output of Taylor Sheridan and 101 Studios, the Dexter franchise and the rest of Paramount+’s series roster.
“I’m incredibly proud of this team,” Wiseman wrote in a memo of her own. “It’s been a privilege to be part of it.”
Prior to joining Paramount, Wiseman was head of U.S. television at Sister. She spent a decade at Netflix beginning in 2014 as an early executive hire as the streamer expanded it original programming ambitions, rising to vp original series and head of comedy.
Bloys’ and Wiseman’s memos are below.
Team,
Over the last few weeks, I have been diving into the future structure for the content side of Skydance DTC, wanting to best position us to meet our short- and long-term objectives. When you think of the range of shows from Harry Potter and The White Lotus to Landman and Dutton Ranch — just a tiny sample from HBO Max and Paramount+ — you appreciate what we will deliver to our consumers…and that is just the beginning. Running two streaming platforms with original programming will require great collaboration and a team mentality. The opportunity that lies in front of us is huge and with your skills and commitment we will no doubt excel.
It will come as no surprise that when David and I began discussing the streaming future, he acknowledged HBO as a prized asset in the acquisition and that it would play a big role in the company’s evolution. He knew HBO to be a collective — not a single person — that has kept the brand thriving.
So, when we started to officially map out a structure, this was front and center in our thinking but, it was not alone. Yes, HBO must continue its tradition of television excellence but we also need 1) HBO Max and Paramount+ to carry their respective momentum forward until we are ready to bring them together, 2) the responsibilities of the teams must be clearly defined so the creative community would also have clarity on where different programming resides in our operation. With that said, I’m pleased to share with you the Skydance DTC content leadership team that I believe will best position us for success:
• Glenn Whitehead, President & COO, HBO and Paramount+: Glenn will have oversight for business affairs, production and operations across the streaming platforms. Additionally, he will continue to guide on AI initiatives for the department.
• Francesca Orsi, President, HBO Drama Series and Films: Frannie will oversee the development and production of all HBO dramatic programming for HBO Max. She will work alongside me in an expanded role to determine which of the drama projects entering the ecosystem best embodies the HBO brand.
• Sarah Aubrey, Head of Paramount+, Max Originals and International Programming: Sarah will oversee all programming of Paramount+. Sarah will also work closely with me and Skydance leadership on the iteration of Paramount+ as we look to align with HBO Max. In addition, Sarah will continue to be responsible for Max Originals, her current series and international programming for the streaming platforms.
• Amy Gravitt, EVP, HBO Programming, Head of HBO & HBO Max Comedy Series: Amy is responsible for developing and producing HBO and HBO Max comedy series.
• Nina Rosenstein, EVP, HBO Late Night & Specials Programming: Nina develops and manages the production of HBO’s late-night programming and specials.
• Nancy Abraham and Lisa Heller, Co-EVPs, HBO Documentary Programming: Nancy and Lisa lead the documentary slate for HBO and HBO Max, across the genres of crime, sports, biographies and more.
Working closely with me and the content leaders will be Jeff Cusson, EVP and Head of Communications, Skydance DTC. Jeff will oversee global communications strategy, publicity, events, talents relations and awards for the streaming platforms. He will have a shared reporting line into JB Perrette, Co-CEO, Skydance DTC and TV, and Melissa Zukerman, Chief Communications Officer, Skydance.
These leaders and their teams have a long history of delivering consistently on the main metrics of viewership, awards and critical response. No doubt they will continue to do so across Skydance DTC.
I also want to thank Jane Wiseman. Jane, in her partnership with Cindy Holland, has done amazing work at Paramount+. The development slate is incredibly impressive, and Jane has graciously offered to help with the transition. She is an extraordinarily talented executive. I appreciate all her support and wish her all the best.
I know we have more to figure out but this first step should offer some direction. I’ve asked everyone above to start reaching out to those on their teams if they haven’t done so already. I look forward to spending more time with each of you and am excited to see all we will accomplish together.
Casey
*****
Team,
A year ago, we inherited a powerful foundation and set out to build upon it. We have had a record-setting run for Paramount+ Originals: Landman Season 2 was on Nielsen’s Top 10 Originals chart for 13 straight weeks; The Madison broke viewing records among women; Dutton Ranch launched as the biggest original series premiere in Paramount+ history; Lioness Season 3 grew every week, up 62% over Season 2 and the second season of MobLand is off to an incredible start.
I’m incredibly proud of this team. It’s been a privilege to be part of it.
Together, we’ve greenlit more than 40 new and returning series across scripted, unscripted, kids & family and animation, like Discretion, Fear Not, Laird, Trauma, Ascent, Clueless and The Best Of Us, just to name a few. You championed them early, fought for them against competing bids, and made fast decisions that kept creators confident in us.
I’m grateful to the writers, producers, and performers who trusted us, and to our partners at Paramount Television Studios, CBS Studios, 101 Studios, Bosque Ranch, SISTER, A24, MGM Television, Hidden Pigeon Company, Kinetic Content, ITV Studios and more.
There’s a lot more on the runway.
Thank you for this year. I’m proud of what we built, and even prouder of who built it with me.
Jane