Netflix’s former film chief, Dan Lin, fell out with director Greta Gerwig over “Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew” months before the streamer fired him, Variety reported, and the dispute cost him oversight of the studio’s costliest theatrical bet.
Four sources told the trade publication that the rift came during a video call earlier this year. Lin, in a meeting attended by numerous Netflix executives, was reportedly dismissive as Gerwig described the film’s progress. Word spread through the company fast. Chief content officer Bela Bajaria phoned Gerwig’s producer, Amy Pascal, to repair the damage, and two sources said Gerwig’s agent, Bryan Lourd, took the complaint straight to co-CEO Ted Sarandos. Netflix then pulled Lin off the project and gave it to his deputy, Doug Belgrad.
Lin’s exit came last week in a broader reshuffle that brought in Peter Rice as content chief and eliminated about 1,000 jobs. Belgrad also left. Variety said Lin’s relationships with other filmmakers, including Ben Affleck and David Fincher, suffered during his tenure. Netflix has not tied his dismissal to any of those disputes.
Lin’s defenders have a case. He took over the film division in 2024 with orders to hold down costs, and Deadline noted he carried out management’s directives. He also helped persuade Netflix to give major films, including “Narnia,” theatrical releases.
The pressure on the film is considerable. Reported budgets run from about $250 million to $280 million, and newsletter writer Jeff Sneider says some insiders put the figure higher. He also reports, citing unnamed sources, that a troubled test screening prompted reshoots and that characters do not reach Narnia until the third act. Neither claim is confirmed, and Netflix has not commented on the film’s condition.
The studio has committed publicly. “Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew” opens exclusively in theaters Feb. 12, 2027, with IMAX previews two days earlier, and begins streaming April 2. It is Netflix’s largest theatrical release to date, a test of a strategy the company has long resisted.
Gerwig signed on to the project in 2023, after discussions with then-film chairman Scott Stuber dating to 2019. Her next move, and the studio’s choice of a new film chief, will shape how that effort looks heading into the new year.
