Dan Lin
Dan Lin | |
---|---|
Born | Taipei, Taiwan | April 8, 1973
Occupation(s) | Film and television producer |
Years active | 1999–present |
Dan Lin (traditional Chinese: 林暐; simplified Chinese: 林𬀩; pinyin: Lín Wěi; born April 8, 1973) is a Taiwanese-American film and television producer. He is the founder and CEO of Rideback (formerly Lin Pictures until 2018), a film and television production company that he formed in 2008 that has a first-look deal at Universal Pictures.[1] Lin produced Warner Bros.' Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, The Lego Movie, The Lego Batman Movie, The Lego Ninjago Movie, The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, and the horror film It, which holds the record for highest-grossing horror film.[2] Lin also produced Disney's Aladdin, a live action adaptation of the 1992 animated feature.
Early life
Dan Lin was born in Taipei, Taiwan, the son of an executive in the international food industry. He moved to the United States at the age of five.[3]
In 1994, Lin received his undergraduate degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and in 1999, he earned an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.[3]
Career
Between his first and second year at Harvard Business School, Lin undertook a summer internship program with Lorenzo di Bonaventura, who was then an executive with Warner Bros. Pictures. In 1999, a day after Lin's graduation, the studio executive offered Lin a junior position at Warners. Lin worked his way up to Senior Vice President of Production and left in 2007 to form his own company. During his eight years at Warners, Lin oversaw the development and production of the Academy Award-winning film The Departed, directed by Martin Scorsese. Other films Lin oversaw include 10,000 BC, directed by Roland Emmerich; The Aviator, directed by Martin Scorsese; Alexander, directed by Oliver Stone; TMNT; The Invasion; Unaccompanied Minors; Matchstick Men; Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed; and Torque.
In January 2008 he formed Lin Pictures, based at Warner Bros.[4] He described the transition from development executive to producer as natural: "It’s a symbiotic relationship between the studio and the producers, we all work together towards the same goal – make the best movie possible."[5]
Lin currently serves on the board of directors for the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment and is a mentor for both the Producers Guild of America and the Center for Asian American Media. In September 2008, Lin was honored as one of Variety's "10 Producers to Watch."[6] In April 2015, Lin was named to The Hollywood Reporter's list of 'The 30 Most Powerful Film Producers in Hollywood'[7]
In August 2022, The Hollywood Reporter reported that he is in talks to take over DC Films and Television Superhero Arm. In September 2022, he ended negotiations and parted ways with Warner Bros. Discovery.[8]
Filmography
Film
Producer
|
Executive producer
Development executive
|
Television
Executive producer
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
2011 | Poe | TV pilot |
2012 | The Secret Lives of Wives | |
2013 | To My Future Assistant | |
2014−15 | Forever | |
2016 | Frequency | |
2018 | Murder | TV movie |
2016−19 | Lethal Weapon | |
2017−20 | Unikitty! | |
2021 | Walker | |
2024 | Avatar: The Last Airbender | |
TBA | The Tempest |
References
- ^ Kroll, Justin (January 27, 2021). "Dan Lin And His Rideback Production Banner Signs First-Look Deal With Universal Pictures". Deadline. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
- ^ Lang, Brent (September 22, 2017). "'It' Becomes Highest Grossing Horror Film of All Time". Variety. Retrieved September 26, 2017.,
- ^ a b "Film and Television Production Company". Lin Pictures. Retrieved December 12, 2011.
- ^ http://www.movieset.com/sherlock-holmes/castandcrew/2m98uq/producer/dan-lin [dead link]
- ^ "Exclusive Interview: Producer Dan Lin on SHERLOCK HOLMES; Plus he Addresses the Brad Pitt Rumors". Collider.com. Retrieved December 12, 2011.
- ^ Fleming, Michael (September 3, 2008). "Dan Lin – Entertainment News, 10 Producers to Watch, Media". Variety. Retrieved December 12, 2011.
- ^ "The 30 Most Powerful Film Producers in Hollywood". The Hollywood Reporter. April 13, 2015. Archived from the original on October 2, 2017. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
- ^ Kit, Borys (August 25, 2022). "DC's Kevin Feige Found? Producer Dan Lin in Talks to Take Control of Film, TV for Superhero Arm". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
- ^ "New 'Inspector Gadget' Live-Action Movie in the Works from Disney (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. October 4, 2019.
External links
- Living people
- 1973 births
- American film producers
- Businesspeople from Los Angeles
- Businesspeople from Taipei
- Harvard Business School alumni
- Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania alumni
- Film producers from California
- Taiwanese expatriates in Hong Kong
- Taiwanese emigrants to the United States
- American people of Chinese descent