DC possibly tapping Dan Lin as their Feige as flames grow higher

Amid horrifying rumors about the state or Warner Bros Discovery, THR’s Borys Kit is reporting that producer Dan Lin is close to being tapped as the new drummer for Spinal Tap new head of the DCEU. Overseeing both films and television, this position is that of Warrior of Light the Chosen One Who Will Balance the Force WBD’s answer to Kevin Feige, the boy who lived, the Ringbearer, The One.

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Lin arrives well suited for the role, having overseen such very successful entertainments as the It films, the live action Aladdin (Over $1 bil in worldwide box office), and most important, The Lego Movie franchise – as well as TV ventures such as the Lethal Weapon and Walker, Texas Ranger reboots as well as the upcoming live action Avatar: The Last Airbender TV series.

The position would come with a lot of autonomy Kit reports, and would lead to Walter Hamada leaving WBD.

The role would encompass overseeing not just film but television as well, with Lin reporting directly to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, according to sources. The proposed structure would bypass three separate division heads  — Warner Bros. Pictures’ heads Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, HBO/HBO Max chief Casey Bloys, and Warner Bros. TV chair Channing Dungey — and put control of DC in the hands of one person. 

As a surprise bonus gift, Lin is well acquainted with the DC universe and films, having spoken about them as recently as AUGUST 5th on The Ankler’s Hot Seat Podcast:

In another interview now only found on the Wayback Machine, Lin talks about his dream DC project,  Justice League: Mortal, the scrapped George Miller JLA film, the great lost masterpiece of DCEU films. In other words, this could be something truly akin to a messiah or savior for DC,

While this might seem to be a ray of hope in the darkness before the dawn, arrayed against Lin are several problems.  According to Variety, Lin is merely “in the mix” and not a done deal because he has a complex net of production deals that would need to be sorted.

Even worse, Warner Bros Discovery – and the DCEU specifically – is currently in a dumpster conflagration that makes the previous fire look like a Yankee Candle peacefully sputtering on a plinth. Let’s go to the bullet points.

• Since our last report, WBD head David Zaslav and his goon squad of bean counters have taken a hatchet to even more content, removing beloved characters like Elmo from HBO Max and Aquaman: King of Atlantis.

• The upcoming Batman: Caped Crusader is in streaming “turnaround” having been cancelled at HBO Max but currently being shopped to other nets. This is no time-filler of a show, but a quality production from J.J. Abrams, Bruce Timm and Matt Reeves – it’s the one Ed Brubaker was contributing to.  I repeat: Abrams, Timm and Reeves, the guy who is hot as heck after his Batman movie. If you can’t run YOUR OWN IP FROM TOP RANK CREATORS ON YOUR OWN STREAMING SERVICE WHAT THE FRAK IS THE POINT?????

• It’s hard to know where to begin with the unfolding disaster that is the Zaslav era of WBD. But as foretold, both Shazam: Fury of the Gods and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom have been pushed back even further.  Shazam is moving to March 17, 2023, the previous date for Aquaman 2, and A2 is moving all the way to Dec. 25, 2023, supposedly so they have more time to work on VFX.

• It will not take 14 months to make the VFX for this movie which was originally supposed to come out this Christmas. So why the delays? Well, this tweet from Kit shocked industry observers, claiming that WBD had pushed so many things back because they only have enough money to market two more films this year:

The moves underscore what a financial mess Warner Bros. Discovery is as the studio has only enough cash to release 2 movies from now to the end of this year (Don’t Worry Darling and Black Adam). https://t.co/qZReE7BO6W

— Borys Kit (@Borys_Kit) August 24, 2022

Kit quoted another veteran producer as saying “They have no money and no clues.” Truly makes you wish for the cosy days of Jason Killar.

• Zaslav has pissed off Hollywood’s elite no question, but in fairness, he is between a rock and a hard place, as WBD does have to cut its debt. But he’s going about it in the most ham-handed and Karen-like way possible, as a story in the Daily Beast reports that execs who are non-white men are being removed at a brisk clip.

Former Warner employees believe these changes are just as much about business as they are about reshaping the ideological perception of Warner properties. It all points to the same end, they say: A rejection of left-wing or highly diverse content in favor of more homogenous, Middle America-friendly fare. The lack of diversity in content staff might just make that goal easier.

The cancellation of minority led-fare like Batgirl and Batman: Caped Crusader and many of the cartoons and shows removed for royalties might back up this interpretation.

• I have my own little red flag that went up during the now legendary earnings call when Zaslav referred to “the incomparable Chip and Joanna” – Chip and Joanna being the Gaines, a couple who have a show about home decorating that is known for – I am not making this up – their great taste in siding and drywall. I’m old, and in my day “incomparable” was saved for crooners like Dionne Warwick, not house flippers. The Gaines have already signed a content deal with WBD, because I guess they know more about what middle America wants than JJ Abrams, Brice Timm and Matt Reeves.

• There’s SO MUCH more – the funeral screenings of Batgirl, actor Ivory Aquino’s tearful, desperate plea for them not to DESTROY EVERY COPY OF THE MOVIE,  and on and on and on. And also the fact that Lin is probably the 7th or 8th person hired to be “The DC Feige,” the last one being the Walter Hamada that he is most likely replacing.

So yeah….should he be hired, Lin has his work cut out for him! Chief among his tasks, seemingly convincing his boss that as many people like Batman as enjoy watching people apply pineapple-shaped wall stickers.

To be continued…

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