Jane Wiseman exits as Casey Bloys sets D2C leadership team at Skydance

Jane Wiseman

Casey Bloys has cemented Skydance’s direct-to-consumer (D2C) leadership team, with Jane Wiseman becoming the latest exec to depart following the US$110bn merger of Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros Discovery.

With Wiseman’s exit, Sarah Aubrey, who was previously head of HBO Max originals in the US and internationally, will see her purview extend to Paramount+.

Longtime HBO programming exec Francesca Orsi has been appointed president of HBO drama series and films, while Glenn Whitehead has been named president and chief operating officer of HBO and Paramount+.

Other existing HBO staffers will remain in their existing roles, with Amy Gravitt as exec VP of HBO programming and head of HBO and HBO Max comedy series, and Nina Rosenstein as exec VP of HBO late night and specials. Nancy Abraham and Lisa Heller remain as co-executive VPs of HBO documentary programming.

The team chosen by Bloys is the same one that led HBO and HBO Max under the Warner Bros Discovery regime.

In a memo sent to staff, Bloys said the structure is intended to “best position us to meet our short- and long-term objectives.” In the short term, HBO Max and Paramount+ will continue to operate independently, with two separate programming slates. Over time, the streamers will be combined, though a firm timeline has not yet been given.

“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,” wrote Bloys.

Wiseman’s departure is not surprising given that she was brought in by Cindy Holland, who left her post as Paramount Skydance’s chairman of D2C earlier this month as Bloys was selected to lead the combined streaming operation.

Wiseman leaves after just over a year with Paramount Skydance. During that time, her team greenlit around 40 new and returning series across scripted, unscripted, kids and animation, including Laird, 9/12, Discretion and Fear Not, in addition to major hits like Landman, The Madison, Dutton Ranch, MobLand and Lioness.

Bloys praised the development slate built by Holland and Wiseman, calling it “incredibly impressive,” in addition to describing Wiseman as an “extraordinarily talented executive.”

In a separate memo, Wiseman thanked her team and the production companies she has worked with over the past year, including Paramount Television Studios, CBS Studios, 101 Studios, Bosque Ranch, Sister, A24, MGM Television, Hidden Pigeon Company, Kinetic Content and ITV Studios.

“Thank you for this year. I’m proud of what we built, and even prouder of who built it with me,” she said.