Ever since Warner Bros. Discovery took over the film, television, and streaming divisions at DC, there had been one big mandate: find the next Kevin Feige to oversee DC Comics projects. After a search to find this unicorn, it looks like the company has found someone to fill that spot.
The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that veteran producer Dan Lin is now in talks with Warner Bros. Discovery to become DC’s counterpart to Marvel Studios’ Feige. It’s said that Lin’s potential new role at the studio encompasses overseeing film and television, with Lin reporting directly to CEO David Zaslav.
Additionally, the current head of DC Films, Walter Hamada, would transition out of his role, which was expected.
This would mean Lin’s creative control of DC Comics bypasses the three separate division heads — Warner Bros. Pictures’ Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, HBO/HBO Max chief Casey Bloys, and Warner Bros. TV chair Channing Dungey. Lin won’t have to get multiple executives’ backing to make projects. If he closes his deal, we’ll have to wait a little bit to hear about what new shows and movies he’ll want to greenlight.
Lin is a former VP of production at Warner Bros., so he has plenty of experience at that studio and then broke out on his own as a producer, overseeing many a film at WB. He was the original lead producer of “Justice League Mortal,” George Miller’s ill-fated version of a DC Comics superhero film that fell apart in 2008 during the WGA writer’s strike. He recently called DC his “dream gig” in an August 2022 Ankler podcast (listen below) and spoke about how producing “The Lego Batman Movie” was part of his way to work on DC Films. He was also quoted in 2012 as being part of an early iteration of “Suicide Squad.”
Lin’s producing career features varied films such as Martin Scorsese’s “The Departed,” “Sherlock Holmes,” “Terminator Salvation,” “The Lego Movie,” “IT,” “Aladdin,” “Godzilla: King of The Monsters,” “IT: Chapter Two,” “The Two Popes,” “Godzilla vs. Kong,” “Haunted Mansion,” and the upcoming live-action “Lilo & Stich” movie. His Disney credits would likely be one of the reasons that Alan Horn, who is back advising at Warner Bros., helped support his bid for the role.
Could a new “Superman” film announcement be around the corner? Well, this has reportedly been a priority, and now that Lin has his position, it’s possible we may hear about some future projects in the coming months.