Netflix film chief Dan Lin has departed the company after nearly three years in the role, according to Variety, in the latest major leadership change at the streaming giant. Lin, who took over Netflix Film in 2024 after succeeding Scott Stuber, was let go at the start of the weekend of October 17-18 and addressed his teams on Monday, October 19.
The Dan Lin exit follows a wave of layoffs at Netflix that reportedly affected around 1,000 employees, and the departure of chief content officer Bela Bajaria, who will be replaced by former Disney executive Peter Rice, according to multiple trade reports.
A Restructuring At The Top
Lin’s departure is part of a sweeping creative restructuring at Netflix, Variety reported, after months of headlines citing engagement problems and stock stagnation. His deputy Doug Belgrad and independent film head Sheroum Kim were also among those laid off, according to Business Today and other coverage.
During his tenure, Lin said in a June interview with The New York Times that he had greenlit or acquired 88 films for Netflix, including Apex, Emilia Pérez, Here Comes the Flood and The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth. His production company Rideback, which he left to join Netflix, was known for The Lego Movie franchise, the It films and the Sherlock Holmes movies.
Netflix subsequently confirmed Lin’s departure, Reuters reported, and Peter Rice is scheduled to succeed Bajaria on October 26, overseeing the film division on an interim basis until a permanent film chief is named.
What Happens Next For Netflix Movies
Former Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group heads Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy have been linked in trade speculation to a possible role at Netflix, though no appointment has been confirmed, according to Hypebeast and other reports.
The leadership change comes as Netflix reassesses its film strategy after an unsuccessful bid for Warner Bros., according to trade coverage. The question now is whether a new film chief will shift Netflix toward fewer, bigger theatrical-style releases, or double down on the volume strategy that defined recent years.
For filmmakers and audiences, the immediate effect is uncertainty: projects greenlit under Lin will now be overseen by new leadership. For Netflix, the shake-up is the most significant creative reset since Lin took over in 2024.
