Breaking: ‘It’ Producer Dan Lin Replaces Scott Stuber for Netflix’s Top Film Position!

Netflix revealed on Wednesday that the renowned film producer Dan Lin has been appointed as the new head of the company’s film division. He steps into the role previously held by movie veteran Scott Stuber.

Lin has an impressive track record, having produced a number of blockbuster live-action and animated films, such as the “Lego” and “It” series for Warner Bros. and the recent adaptation of “Avatar: The Last Airbender” for Netflix. Lin also collaborated with the Los Gatos, California-based streaming behemoth on the Oscar-nominated movie “The Two Popes.”

Netflix announced that since the inception of Lin’s production company, Rideback, around 15 years ago, his films have raked in a staggering $6 billion in box office revenue worldwide.

Rideback, Lin’s production firm, is based in the Historic Filipinotown neighborhood of Los Angeles, a locale that also hosts Ava DuVernay’s Array’s headquarters.

The Taipei, Taiwan-born producer is set to commence work at Netflix’s Sunset Boulevard campus on April 1. Stuber had previously announced earlier this year his decision to step down mid-March to kickstart his own entertainment firm.

Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s chief content officer, who formerly headed global television at the company, will be Lin’s direct supervisor.

“Dan’s track record as an executive and producer is characterized by a consistent knack for attracting top-notch filmmakers,” Bajaria commented. “What struck me the most was his establishment of Rideback, a vibrant community for filmmakers, which fosters collaboration and creativity. His forward-thinking approach has led to the creation of incubators and residencies, spurring the careers of remarkable talents, along with a steady stream of hit movies.”

In addition to the “Lego Movie” franchise and Stephen King’s horror films, Lin’s portfolio includes the “Sherlock Holmes” mystery thriller series for Warner Bros., and the live-action remakes of “Aladdin” and “Haunted Mansion” for Disney. He’s currently working on Disney’s live-action remake of “Lilo & Stitch.”

On the television front, Lin produces the series “Walker,” featuring Jared Padalecki, for the CW network and CBS Studios. Lin is also in postproduction for an upcoming Hulu series, “Interior Chinatown,” based on Charles Yu’s eponymous novel.

Prior to launching Rideback, Lin served as a senior vice president of production at Warner Bros. Pictures. He embarked on his journey at the Burbank studio as an intern under film executive Lorenzo di Bonaventura in 1999. At the time, he was a 25-year-old MBA student at Harvard with no connections in Hollywood. He left Warner Bros. in 2007 after contributing to major films, including Martin Scorsese’s Oscar-winning drama “The Departed.”

“I’ve had numerous offers during my 15-year tenure at Rideback, but it wasn’t until Bela offered me this amazing opportunity that I could envision leaving,” Lin stated in Wednesday’s press release. He added that he saw the move to Netflix as a “natural transition” given his previous experience with the company and its commitment to reaching global audiences.

“Bela’s vision for Netflix’s film division resonated with me as it aligned strongly with my own personal and professional values and what we’ve been creating at Rideback,” Lin continued. “My goal at Rideback has always been to make films with universal appeal and themes that resonate globally, and there’s no better place to achieve that than at the company with the broadest global reach.”

Lin’s appointment follows the announcement by Walt Disney Co. two days prior that its live-action film production head, Sean Bailey, was leaving the Burbank studio to focus on producing movies, including the next “Tron” installment. Bailey was reportedly a contender for the Netflix position.

Lin has long been considered for top studio roles. He had discussions with Warner Bros. about leading the DC Studios film slate, but the position ultimately went to filmmaker James Gunn and Peter Safran.

Lin has also been a trailblazer in promoting diversity in Hollywood.

Lin, who identifies as Asian American, launched an accelerator program about two years ago. He established Rideback Rise, a nonprofit aimed at supporting creatives who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color through fellowships and networking events. This initiative is designed to help the next generation of creators get the backing they need to advance their careers.

On Wednesday, Lin announced he would hand over “the reins” at Rideback to the newly appointed co-Chief Executives Jonathan Eirich and Michael LoFaso.

Stuber, who joined Netflix in 2017, was instrumental in the streamer’s growth in the production and release of original films, solidifying Netflix as one of Hollywood’s biggest production houses in terms of volume.

Under Stuber’s leadership, the company released blockbuster movies such as the action film “Red Notice” and the science fiction film “The Adam Project,” as well as critically acclaimed films like Noah Baumbach’s “Marriage Story,” Alfonso Cuarón’s “Roma,” and Jane Campion’s “The Power of the Dog.”