Netflix (NFLX) has found a replacement for its outgoing film chief Scott Stuber. Dan Lin, a producer whose studio Rideback produced Netflix’s latest No.1 series, a live action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender, will run Netflix’s film studio starting April 1, The Hollywood Studio first reported yesterday (Feb. 28).
Stuber announced his resignation in January—on the eve of the 2024 Oscar nominations—after seven years Netflix. He said he’s leaving to start his own production company. Stuber is credited for turning Netflix from just a streaming platform into an award-winning film studio, as it continues to lead in Oscar nominations each year since 2020. (A24 broke its streak once in 2023.
Stuber’s best-known contribution to Netflix was convincing A-list directors like Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese to make movies for the streamer. Lin will be expected to deliver the same. In his new role, Lin will report to Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s chief content officer. In a statement yesterday, Bajaria said she was drawn to Lin’s work at Rideback and his ability to bring in exceptional filmmakers.
“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,” Bajaria said. “I can’t wait for Dan to infuse Netflix with his innovation and talent.”
Lin’s film credits include the It and Lego movie franchises, and his studio has grossed over $5 billion. He started Rideback as Lin Pictures in 2008 after leaving his previous employer Warner Bros., where he served as head of production. Lin Pictures was renamed Rideback in 2018. As Lin joins Netflix, he is handing his CEO job to Jonathan Eirich and Michael LoFaso, who will serve as the studio’s co-CEOs.
In a statement, Lin said Netflix was an opportunity he “couldn’t say no to.” “It’s always been my aspiration at Rideback to make movies with worldwide appeal and universal themes,” the producer said. “And there is no better place to do that than at the company with the widest global audience.”
It’s uncertain how Lin plans to reshape Netflix’s film department. After after Stuber announced his resignation last month, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said to investors that the company’s overall film strategy, which is a part a $17 billion content spend commitment, would be unchanged.
“Our original films do outperform those licensed films, and they do uniquely distinguish us from the competition,” Sarandos said on an earnings call on Jan. 22. “Just this morning, our original films got 18 Oscar nominations across 10 different films. So we do not plan to change our strategy or the mix.”