Rumor: Peter Safran Is in the Mix to Replace Dan Lin at Netflix, and DC Studios Is Suddenly Under the Microscope

Hollywood’s executive carousel has been spinning at full speed this month. Studios have merged, layoffs have hit streaming and some of the industry’s biggest names have found themselves out of a job almost overnight. Against that backdrop, a name has surfaced that has fans of James Gunn’s DC Universe doing a double take.

The latest twist is the Peter Safran Netflix rumor. The DC Studios co-CEO is reportedly being considered as a successor to Dan Lin, whom the streamer let go as head of film in a purge that has swept up roughly 1,000 employees.

To understand how this came together, it helps to rewind a few days. Netflix cut about 6% of its workforce, parted ways with chief content officer Bela Bajaria and then moved on Lin, who had run the film division since April 2024 after succeeding Scott Stuber. Peter Rice, a former Disney and Fox executive, takes over as chief content officer on October 26 and is expected to choose the next film boss.

Safran isn’t the only name in play. Reports say former Warner Bros. film chiefs Pamela Abdy and Michael De Luca are considered the frontrunners, and they were let go after the Skydance merger closed earlier this month. Others mentioned include Stacey Snider, Jeff Robinov, Emma Watts and A24’s Noah Sacco.

Nothing has been confirmed, and there’s no sign of a formal search yet. One rival studio boss reportedly told Deadline that people would be surprised by who Rice picks. Netflix hasn’t publicly named a successor or addressed the speculation.

Peter Safran is one of the candidates to replace Dan Lin at Netflix?!?!

— Daniel Richtman (@DanielRPK) October 23, 2026

Safran has spent more than 30 years in the business, with major successes including ‘The Conjuring’ universe. Since 2022 he has co-led DC Studios alongside Gunn, with Safran handling the business and production side while Gunn focuses on creative. A move to Netflix would therefore pull a key architect away from a franchise that is still rebuilding.

The timing is notable, too. Safran’s contract is reportedly up in early summer, which could make him more open to offers. One Paramount insider reportedly described the rumor as credible, though that’s a single anonymous voice, so it should be taken with a grain of salt.

DC has had a bumpy year. ‘Clayface’ arrived in theaters this weekend as the franchise’s third film, and the studio’s next release, ‘Man of Tomorrow,’ isn’t due until next July. Losing Safran now could force DC into an urgent search for a new executive just as it needs stability.

Some observers argue that the speculation doesn’t necessarily mean Safran has lost faith in DC. Weighing a bigger job at the world’s largest streamer is simply the kind of option a high-profile producer would consider. Still, plenty of fans question why he would leave unless Netflix made a very generous offer.

There’s a neat historical wrinkle in all this. Lin was in the running to lead DC Films back in 2022, before Gunn and Safran were named the studio’s leaders. If Safran does end up at Netflix, some have joked that Lin could become an intriguing candidate to fill the gap at DC.

That’s pure speculation, of course. For now, Lin’s exit has left Netflix’s film slate in limbo, and development is reportedly frozen while the new regime settles in.

Rice’s arrival on October 26 should bring clarity soon enough. Netflix is also expected to address its performance on its earnings call, giving executives a chance to discuss strategy. Whether Safran’s name stays on the shortlist, or fades away as one of many rumors, will become clear in the coming days.

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