Netflix’s head of film, Dan Lin, has departed the streaming giant after less than three years in the role, marking the latest in a series of high-profile executive departures amid the company’s ongoing restructuring and cost-cutting measures.
According to Variety, Lin’s exit was confirmed at the start of the weekend, with plans to address his teams on Monday. His departure comes on the heels of the recent firing of chief content officer Bela Bajaria and a wave of layoffs that have affected approximately 1,000 Netflix employees. Lin’s exit also impacts members of his team, including Doug Belgrad and indie film head Sheroum Kim.
While Lin’s successor remains unidentified, speculation suggests that former Warner Bros. film executives Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy might be considered for the role. However, Netflix’s restructuring appears to extend beyond personnel changes, as the company has already appointed veteran entertainment executive Peter Rice to replace Bajaria.
Lin joined Netflix in February 2024, succeeding longtime film chief Scott Stuber. Prior to his Netflix tenure, he led his own production company, Rideback, responsible for notable franchises including “The LEGO Movie,” Stephen King’s “It” adaptations, and the “Sherlock Holmes” films. During his brief time at Netflix, Lin oversaw the greenlight and acquisition of more than 85 films, featuring titles such as “Apex,” “Emilia Pérez,” and “Train Dreams,” along with upcoming projects including “The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth” and Greta Gerwig’s “Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew.”
One of Lin’s key initiatives involved restructuring his film team around genre specialties, assigning individual executives to focus on producing 3-4 films annually within specific categories such as comedy, drama, horror, and science fiction. It remains uncertain whether Netflix will maintain this organizational approach as it continues to refine its business model.
IndieWire has reached out to Netflix for comment regarding these developments.
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