Dan Lin Explained

Dan Lin
Birth Date:8 April 1973
Birth Place:Taipei, Taiwan
Occupation:Film and television producer
Years Active:1999–present

Dan Lin (; born April 8, 1973) is a Taiwanese-American film and television producer. He is the chairman of Netflix Films and the founder of Rideback (formerly Lin Pictures until 2018), a film and television production company that he formed in 2008. Lin produced Warner Bros.' Sherlock Holmes, , The Lego Movie, The Lego Batman Movie, The Lego Ninjago Movie, , and the horror film It, which holds the record for highest-grossing horror film.[1] Lin also produced Disney's Aladdin, a live action adaptation of the 1992 animated feature.

Early life

Dan Lin was born in Taipei, Taiwan, the son of an executive in the international food industry. He moved to the United States at the age of five.[2]

In 1994, Lin received his undergraduate degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and in 1999, he earned an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

Career

Between his first and second year at Harvard Business School, Lin undertook a summer internship program with Lorenzo di Bonaventura, who was then an executive with Warner Bros. Pictures. In 1999, a day after Lin's graduation, the studio executive offered Lin a junior position at Warners. Lin worked his way up to Senior Vice President of Production and left in 2007 to form his own company. During his eight years at Warners, Lin oversaw the development and production of the Academy Award-winning film The Departed, directed by Martin Scorsese. Other films Lin oversaw include 10,000 BC, directed by Roland Emmerich; The Aviator, directed by Scorsese; Alexander, directed by Oliver Stone; TMNT; The Invasion; Unaccompanied Minors; Matchstick Men; ; and Torque.

In January 2008 he formed Lin Pictures, based at Warner Bros.[3] He described the transition from development executive to producer as natural: "It's a symbiotic relationship between the studio and the producers, we all work together towards the same goal – make the best movie possible."[4]

Lin currently serves on the board of directors for Rideback Rise, Hawai’i International Film Festival and the Good Shepherd Center for Homeless Women and Children. He also serves on the Board of the Producers Guild of America Foundation. In September 2008, Lin was honored as one of Variety's "10 Producers to Watch."[5] In April 2015, Lin was named to The Hollywood Reporters list of 'The 30 Most Powerful Film Producers in Hollywood'[6]

In August 2022, The Hollywood Reporter reported that he was in talks to take over DC Films. In September 2022, he ended negotiations and parted ways with Warner Bros. Discovery.[7] [8] On February 28, 2024, it was announced that Lin would replace Scott Stuber as Netflix's head of film, reporting to Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria.[9]

Filmography

Film

Producer

Executive producer

Development executive

Television

Executive producer

YearTitleNotes
2011 Poe TV pilot
2012 The Secret Lives of Wives
2013 To My Future Assistant
2014−15 Forever
2016 Frequency
2018 Murder TV movie
2016−19 Lethal Weapon
2017−20 Unikitty!
2021−24 Walker
2022−23
2024 Avatar: The Last Airbender
2025 It: Welcome to Derry

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 'It' Becomes Highest Grossing Horror Film of All Time . Lang . Brent . Variety . September 22, 2017 . September 26, 2017.,
  2. Web site: Film and Television Production Company . Lin Pictures . December 12, 2011.
  3. http://www.movieset.com/sherlock-holmes/castandcrew/2m98uq/producer/dan-lin
  4. Web site: Exclusive Interview: Producer Dan Lin on SHERLOCK HOLMES; Plus he Addresses the Brad Pitt Rumors . Collider.com . December 12, 2011.
  5. Web site: Fleming . Michael . Dan Lin – Entertainment News, 10 Producers to Watch, Media . Variety . September 3, 2008 . December 12, 2011.
  6. Web site: The 30 Most Powerful Film Producers in Hollywood . The Hollywood Reporter . April 13, 2015 . October 1, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171002165450/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/person/dan-lin-0 . October 2, 2017 . dead . mdy-all .
  7. Web site: Kit . Borys . DC's Kevin Feige Found? Producer Dan Lin in Talks to Take Control of Film, TV for Superhero Arm . The Hollywood Reporter. August 25, 2022 . August 28, 2022.
  8. Web site: Kit. Couch. Borys. Aaron. DC Chief Search Continues as Dan Lin No Longer in Talks for Top Job. September 6, 2022. The Hollywood Reporter. February 28, 2024.
  9. Web site: February 28, 2024. D'Alessandro. Fleming. Anthony. Mike Jr.. Dan Lin Replacing Scott Stuber As Netflix Film Chief. Deadline Hollywood. February 28, 2024.