Sherlock Holmes, The Lego Movie, and Aladdin producer Dan Lin is reportedly being eyed to lead the DC cinematic universe.

Warner Bros.DC

The DC Cinematic Universe may have just found its Kevin Feige. As per a report by Deadline, former Warner Bros executive and the producer behind such projects as Sherlock Holmes, The Lego Movie, and Aladdin, Dan Lin, is the favorite to become the head of the DC franchise. This news comes following an assortment of negative headlines and chaos within the world of Warner Bros. and its handling of the DC universe, which has seen high-profile projects such as Batgirl unceremoniously canceled.

According to Deadline, the “sense around town” is that Dan Lin “has a pole position feel to him,” with the publication comparing his potential appointment to that of Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige, who oversees the entirety of the hugely successful Marvel Cinematic Universe. The report adds that Lin would be “the best of both worlds” thanks to his experience as both a producer on major franchises and as a former Warner Bros studio executive.
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“He’s the kind of guy that Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav would savor,” the report states (with Zaslav being the man behind the onslaught of peculiar and controversial decisions surrounding the world of DC), adding that “former Warner Bros Motion Picture Boss Alan Horn-turned-current Zaslav consigliere was a mentor to Lin.” With all this in mind, it certainly sounds like Lin is the man to beat.

Other names have been mentioned however, including Joker director Todd Phillips, who Zaslav reportedly “loves,” but Lin remains the number one choice. Though it is worth noting that “one source tells us no formal offers have been made.”

Can the DC Cinematic Universe Still Be Saved?

HBO Max / Warner Bros.

Dan Lin has produced such major projects for Warner Bros. as 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 outing It, as well as Disney’s Aladdin, the live-action remake of the animated classic.

Lin has also had a role as executive producer on the likes of Terminator Salvation, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and Godzilla vs. Kong, as well as such small screen projects as Walker, Lethal Weapon, and the upcoming live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender for Netflix.

While he has an extensive background on both the big and the small screen, sorting out the mess that is the current state of the DC cinematic universe will be no easy task. President and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery David Zaslav has taken an ax to the franchise over the last few weeks, canceling (and reportedly even deleting) the upcoming Batgirl movie, as well as an assortment of small screen projects such as Batman: Caped Crusader.

Zaslav has since stated that the franchise will move forward with “a 10-year plan focusing just on DC” that’s “very similar to the structure that Alan Horn and Bob Iger put together, very effectively, with Kevin Feige at Disney.” But with continuity all over the place, no sign of DC staple Superman, a series of behind-the-scenes controversies, and just a general feeling of mayhem and sense of the studio winging it, can Dan Lin really save the day?