Netflix’s film division chairman Dan Lin has indicated that the company will not accommodate filmmakers who insist on traditional theatrical-first release strategies.
“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 remarks described by the publication as marked by his “trademark bluntness”.
The comments come even as Netflix, under co-CEO Ted Sarandos, has been attempting to project a more cinema-friendly posture following its failed bid to acquire Warner Bros.
The platform has recently signalled openness to theatrical collaboration, including plans for a full theatrical rollout of Greta Gerwig’s Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew. Even David Fincher’s The Adventures of Cliff Booth is scheduled for an IMAX release in December.
However, Lin’s remarks suggest that such outreach has clear limits, particularly when it comes to filmmakers who prioritise cinema exclusivity.
The approach marks a contrast with that of former Netflix film chief Scott Stuber, who often advocated for stronger theatrical engagements for prestige projects and maintained efforts to bring high-profile directors such as Christopher Nolan into the Netflix ecosystem.
Stuber had also supported broader theatrical windows for films from filmmakers like Guillermo del Toro (Frankenstein) and Alfonso Cuarón (Roma), albeit largely within awards qualification frameworks.
“If and when he comes up with his new movie, it’s about can we be a home for it and what would we need to do to make that happen,” Stuber told Variety in 2021, referring to Nolan. “He’s an incredible filmmaker. I’m going to do everything I can.”
The report also highlighted internal decision-making tensions, including a case involving actor Sally Field, who reportedly pushed for a fall release of Remarkably Bright Creatures to improve its awards prospects.
“Mr. Lin argued that it was a family drama, and the right date was just before Mother’s Day,” the article said. “The movie has remained in the streamer’s Top 10 for the past month.”
Lin acknowledged that his directness can occasionally be misread by collaborators.
“One mistake I made when I first joined the company,” Lin told The New York Times, “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. 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.”