Cindy Holland’s ‘Not a Priority’ Quote Reveals Paramount’s New 2025 Streaming Focus

Paramount’s new streaming chief, Cindy Holland, stunned the industry when she said, “Streaming movies are not a priority for me,” at a Los Angeles press gaggle on Aug. 13, 2025. The blunt line comes as Paramount-Skydance maps a post-merger strategy that privileges theatrical value, raising immediate questions about which films will go to theaters, which will skip them, and how streaming executives will reallocate budgets. The quote has already sparked divided reactions from theater chains, talent and analysts over what this means for 2026 development and release windows.

What Cindy Holland’s ‘Not A Priority’ Line Means For Paramount 2025

• Cindy Holland Said “Streaming movies are not a priority for me” at a press gaggle, Aug. 13, 2025.
• Paramount-Skydance Will Reprioritize Theatrical Distribution, Per New Leadership Comments.
• Industry Analysts Warn This Shift Could Cut Made-For-Streaming Film Slate And Ad Spend.
• Theaters And Studios Will Negotiate Windows; AMC Talks Reportedly Under Way This Week.

Why That 8-Word Quote From Cindy Holland Rocked Studio Debate In 2025

Cindy Holland’s sentence — “Streaming movies are not a priority for me” — landed like a mission statement, not a nuance. By framing theatrical releases as the primary value driver, Holland signaled a reversal from the last decade’s studio strategy that often treated streaming-first films as core growth drivers. The remark forced an immediate reappraisal among distributors and talent: which franchises will be pushed to big screens, and which mid-budget originals will lose streaming support?

The leadership team at Skydance’s Paramount has no interest in original streaming movies and is doubling down on robust theatrical releases.

Paramount’s new streaming chief, Cindy Holland, put it bluntly: “Streaming movies are not a priority for me.”https://t.co/VlOFzhkcTK

— Variety (@Variety) August 13, 2025

Why 3 Industry Camps Are Divided Over Studio Streaming Movies In 2025

Reactions split into clear camps: theater chains and tentpole studios welcome a renewed theatrical-first stance; streaming purists fear fewer mid-budget films and less experimentation; talent and indie producers worry about narrower distribution routes. Executives like Jeff Shell emphasized tailored windows based on each film’s value, while analysts point to fragile box-office margins this summer as the reason studios must choose where to invest. The tension is practical: shifting dollars away from streaming movies can protect theatrical ticket revenue but may shrink opportunities for lower-profile filmmakers and reduce subscriber-driven content variety.

How These 3 Box-Office Figures Explain Paramount’s Shift In 2025

Weak summer breadth and only one global smash intensified studio focus on theatrical value.

How Box Office Trouble And A Single $1B Hit Shifted Studio Priorities

This summer’s totals (May–Aug 24) reached $3.53 billion, short of the hoped-for $4 billion. With only one film crossing $1 billion worldwide, studios face squeezed margins and higher stakes for tentpoles. In that context, Paramount’s leadership sees clear incentive to prioritize theatrical campaigns that drive higher per-film revenue and prestige. Reallocating spend toward fewer, bigger theatrical launches could improve ROI — but it narrows the release pipeline for mid-budget streaming-first projects.

Who Said It, Why She Said It, And What Changes For Streamers In 2026

Cindy Holland — Paramount’s DTC Chair and former Netflix executive — made the remark during a Los Angeles media briefing accompanying the Skydance-Paramount merger. Her line reflects a strategic posture from CEO David Ellison and other new leaders who told reporters the “debate is over” on the value of theatrical marketing and windows. Practically, expect Paramount+ to tilt budgets toward series and franchise TV, while theatrical marketing and longer windows (or selective PVOD timing) will be used to extract more revenue from big films. For creators, that means more competition to get theatrical greenlights and fewer made-for-stream premieres.

Conclusion

Cindy Holland’s blunt sentence crystallizes a broader studio recalibration: fewer streaming-first films, more theatrical emphasis, and a redeployment of marketing dollars. Expect negotiations over release windows and a tighter funnel for theatrical tentpoles — and watch how talent and indie producers respond in public and at the marketplace.

Sources

• https://variety.com/2025/film/news/paramount-skydance-theatrical-movies-streaming-ellison-1236488740/
• https://variety.com/2025/film/box-office/summer-box-office-wont-reach-4-billion-1236495139/

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