Netflix announced Wednesday that film producer Dan Lin has been named president of the streaming company's film division, replacing former film chief Scott Stuber.
Lin has achieved much success producing animated and live-action films, including the “Lego” and “It” films for Warner Bros. and the recent live-action series adaptation of “Avatar: The Last Airbender” for Netflix. He also worked with the Los Gatos, California-based streaming giant on the Oscar-nominated film “The Two Popes.”
Since forming his production company, Rideback, about 15 years ago, Lin has produced films that have grossed $6 billion at the box office worldwide, Netflix said.
Lin's production company is located in the historic Filipinotown neighborhood of Los Angeles, an enclave that also includes the base of operations for Ava DuVernay's Array.
The Taipei, Taiwan-born producer will start at Netflix's Sunset Boulevard campus on April 1. Stuber announced earlier this year that he would step down in mid-March to form his own entertainment company.
Lin will report to Bela Bajaria, Netflix's chief content officer, who previously led global television at the company.
“Dan's experience as an executive and producer is marked by a consistent ability to attract exceptional filmmakers,” Bajaria said. “But what really caught my attention was the creation of Rideback, a dynamic community for filmmakers that fosters collaborative and creative environments. “His visionary approach has led to the establishment of incubators and residencies, launching the careers of extraordinary talent, as well as a steady list of blockbuster films.”
Lin's resume goes beyond the hit “Lego Movie” franchise and Stephen King's horror films. She produced the mystery thriller film franchise “Sherlock Holmes” for Warner Bros. and the live-action remake “Aladdin” and “Haunted Mansion” for Disney. She is currently in production on Disney's live-action remake of “Lilo & Stitch.”
On television, Lin produces the series “Walker,” starring Jared Padalecki, for the CW network and CBS Studios. Lin is in post-production on an upcoming Hulu series, “Interior Chinatown,” based on the novel of the same name by Charles Yu.
Before launching his own company, Lin worked at Warner Bros. Pictures as senior vice president of production. He joined that Burbank studio as an intern with film executive Lorenzo di Bonaventura in 1999. At the time, he was a 25-year-old MBA student at Harvard with no connections to Hollywood. He left Warner Bros. in 2007 after contributing to major films, including Martin Scorsese's Oscar-winning drama “The Departed.”
“While I have been approached many times over my last 15 years at Rideback, I truly could never imagine leaving until Bela offered me this incredible opportunity,” Lin said in Wednesday's statement, adding that she felt the move to Netflix was ” a natural transition” due to his previous experience with the company and his determination to attract global audiences.
“Bela's vision for Netflix's film division immediately interested me because it aligned strongly with my personal and professional values and what we've been building at Rideback,” Lin said. “It has always been my aspiration at Rideback to make films with global appeal and universal themes, and there is no better place to do so than the company with the broadest global audience.”
Lin's hiring comes two days after Walt Disney Co. announced that its head of live-action film production, Sean Bailey, would leave the Burbank studio to focus on producing films, including the next “Tron” installment. Bailey was reportedly vying for the Netflix job.
Lin has long been on the short list for big studio jobs. She held talks with Warner Bros. to lead DC Studios' film slate, but the company ultimately hired filmmaker James Gunn and Peter Safran for the role.
Lin has been a leader in other ways, even as efforts to foster diverse talent took on greater urgency in Hollywood.
Lin, who identifies as Asian American, launched an accelerator program about two years ago. Established Rideback Rise, a nonprofit organization aimed at elevating Black, Indigenous, and people of color creatives through scholarships and networking events to help a new generation of creators get the support they need to take their careers to the next level. next stage.
On Wednesday, Lin said he would hand “the reins” of Rideback to newly installed co-CEOs Jonathan Eirich and Michael LoFaso.
Stuber, who joined Netflix in 2017, oversaw the streamer's growth in the production and release of original films, making Netflix one of Hollywood's biggest producers in terms of volume.
During his tenure, the company released widely viewed films, including the action film “Red Notice” and the sci-fi film “The Adam Project,” as well as critically acclaimed films such as Noah Baumbach’s “Marriage Story,” “ Rome” by Alfonso Cuarón and “The Power of the Dog” by Jane Campion.
