After years of failing to match Marvel’s success at the box office, Warner Bros. is hoping to inject new blood into DC’s big (and small-) screen universe by putting its own Kevin Feige at the helm. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Dan Lin is in talks with WB to take over as DC’s new head of film and TV production. If a deal is struck, Lin would run the studio in a manner similar to the way Feige guides the trajectory of the MCU.
The search for a new DC figurehead has been underway ever since David Zaslav became the CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery earlier this year. THR even called the process “one of the most intense executive searches in recent memory.” An earlier report suggested that Joker director Todd Phillips was another choice to advise on upcoming DC projects. But even if that were true, Phillips definitely wasn’t the only one being considered for the job. Other candidates reportedly included Emma Watts, Amy Pascal, Matt Tolmach, Sean Bailey, and Greg Berlanti.
In the end, Lin’s relationship with former Disney executive Alan Horn is what made him the frontrunner for the gig. Horn himself recently rejoined WBD as a consultant. But while serving as Warners’ president and COO in the early 2000s, he managed Lin, who worked under him as a junior exec before eventually becoming a senior VP of production. Ironically enough, one project that Lin oversaw during this timeframe was George Miller’s Justice League: Mortal. Unfortunately, that movie was scrapped before it could start filming.
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Over the next few years, Lin became involved with several other big franchises. His resume includes producing credits on The Lego Movie and its sequels, both Sherlock Holmes films starring Robert Downey Jr., and both installments of Stephen King’s It. He also produced Disney’s live-action adaptation of Aladdin in 2019.
Should he sign on for his new role, Lin will replace Walter Hamada, the current and now outgoing president of DC Films. Hamada allegedly began plotting his departure from the studio after WB cancelled HBO Max’s Batgirl movie without consulting him first. He initially agreed to stay on until Black Adam hits theaters on October 21. But in light of this latest news, it’s not clear if this is still the plan.
In any case, the arrangement would give Lin control over all of DC, allowing him to bypass oversight from WB Pictures co-chairs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, HBO and HBO Max chief Casey Bloys, and Warner Bros. TV chair Channing Dungey. However, Lin would still report directly to Zaslav.
Do you think Lin can turn things around at DC? Let us know in the comment section below!
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Recommended Reading: DC Comics: A Visual History
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