Netflix film chief Dan Lin says the streaming giant won’t work with directors who insist on theatrical releases, marking a hard line on a debate that has simmered since Netflix began pursuing cinema partnerships. “There is a group of filmmakers who still want theatrical. Those are filmmakers that we’ve accepted we just won’t work with,” Lin told the New York Times in a recent interview, speaking with what the publication described as his “trademark bluntness.”
Lin’s stance contrasts sharply with his predecessor, Scott Stuber, who frequently clashed with Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos over efforts to secure theatrical windows for major auteurs including Guillermo del Toro and Alfonso Cuarón. Stuber actively pursued cinema purists like Christopher Nolan, telling Variety in 2021 that he would “do everything I can” to accommodate filmmakers seeking theatrical distribution.
The Netflix film chairman acknowledged that his direct communication style can alienate talent. “One mistake I made when I first joined the company was that filmmakers always said to me, ‘Please tell me the truth.’ And when I told them the truth, they might not have wanted to hear it,” Lin said. “So now I’m learning how to better read people. And if someone tells me they want to hear the truth, I tell it in a way that can be as productive as possible.”
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Despite Lin’s comments, Netflix continues to offer theatrical releases for select projects. David Fincher’s “The Adventures of Cliff Booth” is scheduled for an IMAX release in December, and Greta Gerwig’s “Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew” received a full theatrical rollout as part of Netflix’s effort to signal openness to cinemas after its failed bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery.
Sources
- Variety — Dan Lin’s statement on not working with directors who want theatrical, and comparison to Scott Stuber’s approach
- The New York Times — Profile of Dan Lin and his interview regarding Netflix’s theatrical strategy
- World of Reel — Confirmation of Lin’s statement on theatrical filmmakers
