Netflix's head of film is out days after 1,000 layoffs and a new content chief, just as the streamer leans further into theatrical releases.
Netflix has parted ways with Dan Lin, the head of its film division, according to reports from Deadline and Variety. Lin was reportedly told of the decision over the weekend and addressed his team on Monday, October 19. Netflix has not named a successor.
Per Deadline, a replacement will not be announced until Peter Rice arrives. Rice is taking over as Chief Content Officer from Bela Bajaria, and his official start date is October 26.
A week of upheaval
Lin's exit follows a difficult stretch at the company. Deadline reports that Netflix announced roughly 1,000 layoffs last week, about 6% of its global workforce, and replaced Bajaria with Rice. Lin's co-head of film, Doug Belgrad, was also let go in that round, which led many to assume Lin was safe until Rice had a chance to assess the situation.
In a statement quoted by Deadline, co-CEO Ted Sarandos said he had worked with Lin before he joined Netflix in 2024 and praised his "rigor around dealmaking and strategy." Lin thanked Sarandos, co-CEO Greg Peters and Bajaria for the opportunity.
What Lin was hired to do
Lin took over the film job in 2024 after Scott Stuber. According to Deadline, his brief was to make fewer features at lower cost, and he moved away from very expensive releases of the Red Notice and The Electric State type. Titles from his tenure that Deadline highlights include War Machine, the animated film Swapped, The Rip and Happy Gilmore 2.
Deadline also reports that his blunt approach caused friction with some prestige filmmakers, and that David Fincher recently chose not to renew his exclusive deal with the streamer. The same report says there was no bad blood between Fincher and Lin.
Bad timing, or a clean break
The departure comes just as Netflix is leaning further into theatrical releases. Deadline notes the company is now reporting box-office grosses for select titles, including a debut for Cannes winner La Bola Negra, and, during its pursuit of Warner Bros., Sarandos conceded to a 45-day exclusive theatrical window. Next year's Greta Gerwig-directed Narnia: The Magician's Nephew is among the titles whose grosses will be reported.
Deadline also notes that Lin was more open to theatrical than Bajaria. At a press event earlier this year, he answered questions about the future of cinemas with "Give us time."
The broader context is a company under pressure. Deadline says Netflix's stock is down about 40% over the past year, and Wall Street is watching closely. A company-wide town hall with Sarandos and Peters is scheduled for Wednesday.
Picture credit: Dan Lin photo by Bryan Berlin (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons); Netflix logo (public domain, trademark of Netflix)
