Cindy Holland Exits Paramount as Casey Bloys Emerges as Streaming Chief

Cindy Holland, chair of Paramount's direct-to-consumer division, announced her exit from the company in a memo to staff, according to reports in Variety and Deadline. September 29 marks her last day at Paramount.

Her departure most likely clears the path for Casey Bloys, who leads HBO and HBO Max at Warner Bros. Discovery, to take over streaming at the combined company. Holland herself hinted at this succession in her memo, writing: "David is optimizing for HBO stability as we move into this next chapter, and I fully support that."

The memo did not mention Bloys by name. But the reference carries weight. Bloys became president of HBO programming in 2016, and his remit has expanded steadily since, encompassing HBO Max and other parts of Warner Bros. Discovery.

Holland joined Paramount in January 2025. In her memo, she described her mandate: reviving Pluto TV, integrating Paramount+ and advising on the merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. During her tenure, Paramount+ grew to 79.6 million subscribers.

Her credentials run deep in streaming. Before Paramount, Holland spent 18 years at Netflix, where she was a pivotal force in the platform's early push into original programming with series such as "House of Cards" and "Stranger Things."

Bloys's appointment is not official, and the merger itself has not yet closed. But according to the reports, the deal could be solidified within days.

Major questions remain. What happens to HBO and HBO Max — how the service integrates into Paramount+ or whether it stands alone — is unresolved. Bloys, however, brings one of the strongest track records in the industry. HBO's continued dominance at the Emmys and the brand's endurance over the years stand in contrast to Paramount's own premium cable brand Showtime, which dwindled and was ultimately folded into Paramount+.

Another unanswered question concerns the fate of Warner Bros. Pictures executives Mike DeLuca and Pam Abdy, and what roles they would hold in a combined "WarnerMount." Paramount still needs to deliver on an aggressive slate of 30 movies per year across the two studios, which leaves considerable opportunity for executives on both sides.

For now, Holland's exit gives Paramount's streaming strategy its clearest shape yet: an HBO-led structure under one of television's most decorated programmers, with the merger's final terms expected imminently.