Dan Lin is no longer in talks to become DC’s new Kevin Feige-like figurehead

Last Updated on September 9, 2022

Dan Lin is no longer gearing up to become the master of DC’s domain. For a time, Lin‘s name was at the top of a prestigious list to assume a Kevin Feige-like role, but unforeseen details have complicated his appointment. According to sources (via The Hollywood Reporter), Lin’s loyalty to Rideback, his production company, and his non-profit organization, is a stumbling block to the promotion. While hammering out the details, it became clear that Rideback presents salary issues. Warner Bros. Discovery did entertain the idea of acquiring an equity stake in the studio, though it’s not a cut-and-dry road to wrapping up the deal. Whoever becomes the puppetmaster of DC needs to assume the position unfettered. With that in mind, Lin has too many ties that need to be untangled before he can accept the job.

The new DC chief will take the job over from Walter Hamada, who’s been at the head of DC Films since 2018. There had been rumors of Hamada leaving the position for a while, and then David Zaslav canceled Batgirl. The shelving of Batgirl did not sit well with Hamada, and the move was one of many straws that helped break the camel’s back. Since wielding his power as the CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, Zaslav managed to anger fans of the DCEU and terminate several positions within the company, many held by people of color. Zaslav’s strategy involves building a ten-year plan for DC modeled after Marvel’s success with the MCU. No one knows what this plan involves beyond shuffling release dates for finished films and canceling projects that fail to serve the larger picture.

“We’ve done a reset. … We think we can build a much stronger, sustainable growth business out of DC,” said Zaslav in an earnings call. “As part of that, we are going to focus on quality. We are not going to release any film before it’s ready. … DC is something we can make better.”

What do you think about Lin stepping away from the DC gig? Do you have anyone in mind for the job? Feel free to shout some names out in the comments section.