Dan Lin Replacing Scott Stuber As Netflix Film Chief

Deadline has learned that producer Dan Lin is taking over for Scott Stuber as Netflix’s top film boss. Lin begins his new role April 1 and will report to Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s chief content officer.

The replacement came rather quick as insiders at the streamer figured the hiring process would take months, with Netflix’s feature slate for the next year being set in stone.

Sean Bailey’s name had been floated, but the former Disney Live-Action Motion Picture production boss didn’t take the job; there also was word that former Universal and DreamWorks chief Stacey Snider had a sit-down with Ted Sarandos. Also there was buzz that Netflix would promote from within for Stuber’s job; that didn’t happen.

Lin is already in business with Netflix as the executive producer of their successful new series Avatar: The Last Airbender, which launched on February 22. He also produced their three-time Oscar-nominated movie The Two Popes.

It’s not shocking to see that the Rideback producer has taken the job; he interviewed with Warner Bros Discovery’s David Zaslav for the top DC job before James Gunn and Peter Safran were named to run that division. Part of that opportunity not coming to fruition for Lin stemmed from how Rideback would become untangled.

What happens to Rideback? It will continue with co-CEO’s Jonathan Eirich and Michael LoFaso, who’ve been promoted. Lin will continue to serve on the board of Rideback Rise, a 501c3 nonprofit BIPOC content accelerator to advance racial equality. Upcoming projects for Rideback are the live-action version of Lilo & Stitch and the Hulu series Interior Chinatown based on the 2020 Charles Yu novel.

Lin launched Rideback in 2008 and produced movies that minted more than $6 billion worldwide. Prior to being CEO of Rideback, he served as SVP Production at Warner Bros Pictures. During his eight-year run there from 1999-2007, he oversaw the development and production of major motion pictures including Martin Scorsese’s Oscar-winning drama The Departed. 

“Dan’s experience as both an executive and a producer is marked by a consistent ability to draw in exceptional filmmakers,” Bajaria said Wednesday. “But what really got my attention was his creation of Rideback, a dynamic community for filmmakers, fostering collaborative and creative environments. His visionary approach has led to the establishment of incubators and residencies, propelling the careers of extraordinary talent, as well as a steady slate of blockbuster films. I can’t wait for Dan to infuse Netflix with his innovation and talent. I’m excited to work with him to bring a diverse range of exceptional films to our global audience.”

Lin added, “While I’ve been approached many times during my past 15 years at Rideback, I could truly never imagine leaving until Bela reached out with this incredible opportunity. Bela’s vision for the Netflix film division immediately interested me as it aligned so strongly with my own personal and professional values and what we have been building at Rideback. There is such a strong foundation that’s already been established in the film division at Netflix, one I’m excited to take to the next level as we continue growing this creative community to make Netflix the #1 home for filmmakers. My past experiences working with Ted and the Netflix team on “The Two Popes” and most recently “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” have been exceptional, so this felt like a natural transition to join a team that I highly respect and have been in the trenches with already.

“It’s always been my aspiration at Rideback to make movies with worldwide appeal and universal themes, and there is no better place to do that than at the company with the widest global audience. It’s an incredible opportunity that I couldn’t say no to, and as hard as it is to leave Rideback, a company I love, I’m excited now to hand over the reins to the new Co-CEO’s Jonathan Eirich and Michael LoFaso who will no doubt take Rideback to levels that even I hadn’t envisioned.”