Why Netflix fired Dan Lin amid reports of disagreement with Greta Gerwig over new Narnia film

Netflix has fired Dan Lin, the executive in charge of its films, as the streaming service makes major changes to its leadership. His departure comes amid rumours of a disagreement with Narnia director Greta Gerwig, so here’s what actually happened.

Variety reported that there are competing accounts of why he was let go, with some sources pointing to wider problems at Netflix. But the reported disagreement has not been confirmed as the reason for Lin’s firing.

Lin was told he had been dismissed by Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos on Friday, according to three sources who spoke to Variety. The news came days after chief content officer Bela Bajaria was also reported to be leaving the company.

So, why has Netflix fired Lin?

Lin joined Netflix in 2024 after working as a film producer and running his own production company, Rideback. He replaced Scott Stuber as the person in charge of Netflix’s film division.

His brief was to focus on making fewer, bigger films and spending money more carefully. The aim was to prioritise quality over quantity rather than release loads of films without the same level of investment.

During his time at Netflix, the company released films including Nonnas, Happy Gilmore 2 and The Thursday Murder Club. He also helped bring actors and filmmakers on board for upcoming projects.

However, Lin has now left the company as Netflix changes its senior leadership. The move follows job cuts affecting around six per cent of Netflix’s workforce. Bajaria and Lin’s deputy, Doug Belgrad, were also among those leaving, according to Variety.

There are different accounts of why Lin was fired. Some sources told Variety that Netflix’s leadership was under pressure to show investors that the company could continue growing. Others suggested Lin had struggled to balance making films for the streaming service with giving major releases a longer run in cinemas.

Netflix has faced questions about how well its films are performing. The Los Angeles Times reported that viewing hours increased by two per cent in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier, while the company’s content budget increased by 11 per cent.

Lin had also supported giving some major films, particularly family-friendly projects, an exclusive cinema release before they became available on Netflix.

His departure comes as the company rethinks its film strategy. However, Netflix has not publicly confirmed one specific reason for firing him.

Wait, so what happened between Greta Gerwig and Dan Lin?

According to Variety, Lin and Gerwig reportedly fell out during a Zoom call about the upcoming Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew film earlier this year. Four sources familiar with the situation told the publication that Lin was allegedly dismissive towards Gerwig during a discussion about the film’s progress. Several Netflix executives were reportedly on the call.

Apparently, news of the disagreement spread around Netflix. Sources said Bajaria contacted Gerwig’s producer, Amy Pascal, to try to smooth things over. Two sources also told the publication that Gerwig’s agent, Bryan Lourd, raised the matter directly with Sarandos. Lin was later removed from overseeing the film, and Belgrad became the main Netflix executive handling the project. Belgrad was subsequently among those affected by the company’s job cuts.

It is also important to note that none of the sources suggested that the incident with Gerwig led to his firing.

One person defending Lin told the publication that he was never “afraid to talk about how to make a movie better”. Another person familiar with the company said other filmmakers could have similar concerns about the way he delivered his feedback.

Also, unlike many rumours going around, there is no confirmed indication that the reported disagreement has put the film in trouble or changed its release dates. The report also does not establish that Gerwig is unhappy with the film’s progress or that the project is struggling creatively.

As of the time of writing, Netflix has not confirmed who will replace Lin as head of its film division.

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Featured image via Dave Starbuck/AFF-USA/Shutterstock.