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🕑 Added 2025-08-07 16:58:57 +0000 UTCChapter 426: The Foolish Madman
Natalie Portman is a total “bookworm.” Back in her sophomore year of high school, she wrote a paper on a simple enzyme method for producing hydrogen from sugar, which won her the Intel Science Talent Search award.
Everyone knows public schools don’t hold a candle to private ones when it comes to education. But Natalie , juggling classes at a public high school and filming movies, managed to churn out a college-level chemistry paper that got published in a legit academic journal. That alone caused a nationwide stir in the U.S.
And when she got accepted to top-tier schools like Harvard and Yale with perfect grades? Even The New York Times couldn’t help but gush, saying Natalie Portman’s IQ had the makings of a future U.S. president.
But things shifted a bit once she hit college.
University courses—especially her psychology major—were no joke.
When Dunn swung by Cambridge to visit her, she couldn’t hold back her whining. “I’ve made up my mind—I’m taking a break from acting next year. No more movies!”
“Huh? What’s up?” Dunn chuckled. “Weren’t you the one begging me to get you a gig with Spielberg?”
Natalie pulled a pouty face. “I’ve missed way too many classes, and my grades are tanking!”
“Did you fail something?”
“No way!” She shot him a fierce glare before muttering, “My neurobiology grade came back—it’s a B!”
“A B? That’s solid!”
“But I’ve never done this badly before. I’m used to straight A’s!”
Dunn rolled his eyes. Talking grades with an overachiever was a losing battle. “Alright, fine, taking a break sounds good. College only lasts a few years—spend time with your friends and classmates. There’ll be plenty of acting gigs later.”
Natalie mood flipped from gloom to glee. She hooked her arm through his, beaming as they strolled down the tree-lined paths of campus. “So, what brought you here all of a sudden? Aren’t you swamped with work?”
Dunn shrugged. “I’m planning to buy out two companies, but I hit a snag. So, I reached out to a headhunter and found Brandi—Brandi Norris, VP at Goldman Sachs. He’s handled a ton of mergers and acquisitions. I’m trying to poach him to be my CFO.”
Dunn Studios had snapped up a few companies before, but they were all entertainment firms—half-market deals smoothed over by connections like Bill McNick or Michael Ovitz. Easy enough.
But these new targets, Dolby Labs and another tech company, were a different beast. Hollywood clout didn’t mean squat here. He needed someone with serious financial chops.
Plus, Dunn Studios had some big moves lined up over the next few years—major acquisitions, restructuring equity, prepping for an IPO. That meant finding a pro who could handle finance, accounting, investments, fundraising, and mergers like a champ.
“Oh!”
Natalie blinked, processing it all. After a pause, she tilted her head up at him. “So, are you still gonna act?”
“Huh?” Dunn looked at her, caught off guard. “Of course I am! I’m a director! Bill Gates is the richest guy alive and still codes sometimes. It’s my bread and butter—I’m not dropping it.”
Natalie grinned. “Good. I was worried we’d never get to work together again!”
Dunn’s heart softened. He slung an arm around her shoulders. “We’ll definitely collaborate. Besides, we’ve done plenty already—remember Star Wars?”
“How could I forget?” Natalie face lit up with a happy glow. “But that was a Jedi flick. I was technically the female lead, but I barely had any screen time.”
“What about The Professional? Or if you call that a supporting role, what about Juno? You were the star there, right?”
“Those don’t count. You were the producer, not the director.”
Dunn nodded, getting her drift. “Alright, once you graduate, we’ll team up for a real classic—something unforgettable!”
Natalie smiled and pointed off to the right. “The library’s up ahead. Wanna check it out?”
“Nah,” Dunn said. “I’d rather not get mobbed. How about we chill on the lawn over there instead? Let me soak in some of that Harvard dirt vibe.”
They dodged clusters of students chatting on the grass and found a quiet corner to lie side by side. It wasn’t as dreamy as he’d pictured, though. Dunn griped, “Man, this grass is rough!”
Natalie burst out laughing. “It’s fall, dummy. You should’ve come in spring!”
“Spring?” Dunn sighed. “You know how it is—awards season kicks off, then summer blockbusters. No time to sneak away.”
Natalie eyes sparkled as something clicked. She rolled over, propping her chin on one hand, her delicate, playful face beaming with excitement. “Oh, by the way, my agent said it’s time to start prepping for Juno’s pre-release promo.”
Dunn frowned. “Want me to talk to them? Focus on school—skip the promo stuff. It’s awards season anyway; the free buzz is what matters.”
For a slow-burn, low-key indie like Juno—not packed with explosions but with serious awards potential—Hollywood had a playbook. Start with limited screenings in mid-to-late December, since Oscar rules say a film has to hit theaters the prior year to qualify.
Awards season hype meant entertainment rags would zero in on contenders, giving free publicity. After the December screenings, the film would roll out wide in January.
Juno’s schedule was locked: December 21st, opening in 11 theaters to build critic buzz, then a full push in January. Early promo would be a bonus, sure—the studio, PR team, and her agency wouldn’t pass it up.
But Dunn didn’t care much. It was just a movie. His girlfriend mattered more.
To his surprise, Natalie grinned. “No, it sounds fun! I wanna do it!”
“Huh?”
“You didn’t know? We booked The Jimmy Show. I’m gonna sing a song on air—it’ll be a blast!”
Dunn’s eyes widened. “Sing? Babe, you can sing?”
Natalie huffed, mock-offended. “Excuse you! I took ballet as a kid, did stage plays, and even got modeling offers from agencies. Mom shut that down, though.”
“Good call!”
“Hey, don’t interrupt!”
She playfully pinched his nose, giggling. “Back at Solomon Schechter Elementary in Canyon Bay, I joined the school band. Guess what?”
Dunn stared, dumbfounded. “No way. You were the lead singer?”
“Duh!” Natalie tossed her head smugly. “My music skills weren’t on par with little Taylor’s, though. Mom figured that out, so I went all-in on acting.”
Dunn’s eyes lit up. “What song are you singing?”
Natalie teased, “Oh, you’ll see. It’s a surprise! And guess what? I wrote the lyrics myself!”
Now Dunn was hooked. “I write songs too! How’s your singing, though?”
“Better than yours!”
“Big talk!”
“Don’t believe me?”
“Sing something!”
“Not here—too many people!”
“I get it, I totally get it. Mr. Douglas, you’re too humble. Ha, yeah, my beef with Dunn? Irreconcilable!”
Michael Eisner was on the phone with Kirk Douglas, the top dog of Hollywood’s Jewish elite.
“No denying it—that kid’s a beast in the commercial film game. But Hollywood isn’t just about blockbusters!” Kirk’s voice boomed, rich and vigorous. “Back when Walt founded Disney, I pitched in a little. Of course, Disney’s where it is today thanks to you, Michael.”
Eisner chuckled smoothly. “Mr. Douglas, thanks for the kind words. Don’t worry—Dunn’s our mutual enemy. We’re on the same team here.”
Kirk pressed on. “The box office is tricky to mess with, but awards? I’ve still got friends there. Especially with him spouting off about ‘new order,’ ‘new model,’ ‘new Hollywood’—kid’s got no clue how high the sky is! A lot of old-timers are fed up. Disney’s job is to shape the narrative—keep the controversy low.”
He wanted to kneecap Dunn through the awards circuit, but A Beautiful Mind had too much clout. Push too hard, and the backlash would be brutal.
That’s where a media giant like Disney came in—PR muscle to smooth things over.
It was the only option.
Of the big U.S. media players, Disney was the only one born and bred in Hollywood. Time Warner’s brass came from Turner, Time Inc., and AOL—Warner Bros. barely got a say. Viacom? Sumner Redstone didn’t play that game. News Corp was headquartered in New York.
Kirk’s network left him with one ally: Disney’s Michael Eisner.
Lucky for him, Eisner and Dunn were already at each other’s throats—perfect for leveraging.
The call went well.
But the second he hung up, Eisner’s face darkened. “Old geezer!” he spat.
Sure, he and Dunn were enemies—but he wasn’t exactly buddies with Kirk Douglas either!
These Hollywood relics were a pack of leeches, giving him headaches.
To Eisner, Disney’s recent box office slump was thanks to these dinosaurs meddling too much, clinging to outdated ideas about modern blockbusters.
“Ugh!”
Eisner rubbed his temples, letting out a long sigh.
Take Dunn down? He barely had the energy for that.
He was on the ropes himself!
Outside, Time Warner, Viacom, and Dunn Studios were boxing him in. Inside, shareholders and board members were stirring up trouble.
And then the “9/11” crisis hit, piling more misery onto Disney’s plate.
“I’ll handle Dunn for you—but can you handle Sumner Redstone for me? Can you deal with Roy Disney? The Bass family? Foolish madman!”
Eisner slammed the desk, a cold smirk twisting his lips.
Chapter 427: Hello, Eisner
Starting this year, Disney’s stock price has been tanking hard. Even with all the moves Michael Eisner’s pulled to turn things around, nothing’s worked.
In Hollywood, people are buzzing with rumors. They say Dunn beat Michael Eisner so bad the guy’s too scared to even fart these days.
Is that really what’s going on?
Nah, that’s total nonsense!
Sure, Dunn crushed Disney at the box office—that’s a fact. But here’s the thing: the movie market’s just a small slice of the pie. Disney’s sitting on a market cap of over 40 billion bucks. A couple of films underperforming at the ticket booth? That’s not gonna send the stock into a tailspin.
The real reason Disney’s stock is wobbling is the slump in their core asset: the B TV Network.
Last year, Time Warner merged with AOL, and in the mess of cable TV disputes, Time Warner and Disney went head-to-head in a massive showdown.
Disney came out on top, big time. Time Warner ended up signing a lopsided $3 billion deal and their CEO even had to issue a public apology.
Back then, B Network had their ace in the hole—Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. That show pulled them out of the basement among the big three networks, leapfrogging NB and giving them a real shot at challenging B Network’s top-dog status.
At that peak, Disney’s stock hit an all-time high, with a market cap soaring past 45 billion dollars!
But Michael Eisner forgot one thing: B Network’s got Viacom behind it, and Viacom’s got Shizuka Redstone pulling the strings.
Even Barry Diller—Eisner’s old boss—got wrecked by Shizuka back in the day. So what chance did Eisner really have?
B Network didn’t waste time. They fired back with two killer shows: Survivor and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, ready to take Millionaire head-on.
They leaned hard on Viacom’s massive audience reach through their networks, H and 1, hyping up the new shows like crazy.
Michael Eisner, though? He was cocky about Millionaire. He figured if it could take down Time Warner, Viacom wouldn’t stand a chance either.
At the time, Disney had just gotten humiliated by Dunn’s Spider-Man in the movie market. They needed a win somewhere else to save face.
And so, the showdown kicked off—sharp and fierce.
Millionaire and Survivor aired in the same time slot, forcing viewers to pick a side. It was a straight-up brawl!
The premiere? Millionaire pulled in 16.8 million viewers, while Survivor clocked 15.5 million.
Michael Eisner dashed off a smug letter to shareholders, crowing about Disney’s big victory!
But that didn’t last long.
By the second episode, Millionaire took a brutal hit—losing a million viewers. Meanwhile, households tuning into Survivor shot up to 19 million.
The Washington Post even ran a headline: “Survivor flattens Millionaire!”
By the time Survivor’s finale aired, it was pulling a jaw-dropping 50 million viewers—half the homes in America were watching!
The only silver lining for Eisner? Survivor was a seasonal show, while Millionaire aired weekly, year-round.
But then came CSI, stepping up to keep pounding Millionaire into the ground.
At its peak, Millionaire ran four episodes a week. Now? It’s down to one. The show’s clearly on its last legs.
With B Network’s ad revenue tanking, Disney’s stock plummeting just made sense.
So, the one who really took Disney down wasn’t Dunn—it was Shizuka Redstone!
Shizuka just stayed behind the curtain, quietly calling the shots, while Dunn got all the glory out front.
With both movies and TV in the gutter, tensions inside Disney started boiling over. That’s when Roy Disney stepped up, ready to axe Michael Eisner and bring in a new CEO.
Problem is, Roy’s got less than 1% of the shares. He’s got the heart, but not the muscle.
Meanwhile, Michael Eisner’s spent decades cozying up to Disney’s big-shot shareholders: the Bass family.
That crew holds nearly 11% of Disney’s stock—enough to pretty much run the show at shareholder meetings.
With the Bass family in his corner, Eisner’s been able to rule Disney like a dictator.
But when luck runs dry, even drinking water gets you in trouble.
The Bass family had leveraged loans and Disney stock to scoop up a bunch of tech shares. Then the 9/11 crash hit, the market tanked, and Disney’s stock shriveled. Now brokers and margin lenders are breathing down their necks, demanding repayment or more collateral.
To scrape together $2 billion, the Bass family dumped 1.35 billion Disney shares.
That left them with just 80 million shares—barely 4% of the total.
The Bass family’s influence crumbled, and Eisner’s biggest backer went down with it!
Right now, Michael Eisner’s on the edge of losing everything. He’s juggling saving the stock price, rallying shareholders, and shoring up his power—all to keep Roy Disney from sweeping him out the door.
So when Kirk Douglas called, begging him to go hard after Dunn, wasn’t that just stirring up trouble for no reason?
Dunn hasn’t even jabbed at Disney in months. Eisner finally had a breather to focus on Roy Disney.
Picking a fight with Dunn now? That’d be insane!
Michael Eisner was pissed!
Not at Dunn, though—at these old Hollywood fossils still stuck in the past.
Sure, he used to be a Hollywood movie guy—ran Paramount, even.
But now? He’s the chairman of the Walt Disney Company!
He’s on the same level as media titans like Ted Turner, Shizuka Redstone, and Murdoch!
Bossing him around like that? They’ve got no clue who they’re dealing with!
“Roy Disney, Kirk Douglas—these Hollywood geezers are driving me up the wall!”
Eisner slumped in his office chair, fists clenched, fuming more by the second.
Even if he lost his mind, he wouldn’t go after Dunn right now.
“Hm? Dunn?”
A spark flickered in Eisner’s mind, and a wild idea hit him.
He’d tangled with Dunn Walker before and learned the hard way what that kid was capable of.
Especially after seeing Dunn Films’ new mission statement—his ambition was off the charts!
Big ambition means big ruthlessness.
Ruthless to others—and just as ruthless to himself.
Eisner sat in his office for an hour, watching the sun dip below the horizon. Finally, he took a deep breath, grabbed his phone, and dialed a number he hadn’t called in forever.
“Hello, this is Dunn Walker.”
“Dunn, it’s me.”
“Who?”
“Michael Eisner.”
“Huh?”
On the other end, Dunn froze, stunned. After a beat, he gritted out two words: “Hello, Eisner!”
Chapter 428: Time Waits for No One
Dunn was flipping through a performance report from GA Toys, and it was good news.
Since April this year, GA Toys had rolled out their bold new “Bezz Dolls” fashion line, taking a swing at the iconic Barbie doll.
In terms of design, Bezz Dolls ditched the classic Barbie look—no more blonde hair, blue eyes, sugary smile, or that unrealistically perfect figure that’d been the standard for forty years.
Instead, these dolls came in all skin tones, representing different ethnicities, with edgy outfits and a vibrant energy that screamed “Spice Girls”—the mega-popular British singing group.
And sure enough, in an era where individuality ruled and girls were all about self-expression, Bezz Dolls hit the ground running. Within six months of launching, they’d racked up over $20 million in sales across North America.
That number was still less than one percent of what their rival, Mattel, pulled in.
But for the 7-to-12 age group, these street-style Bezz Dolls had dethroned Barbie as the “queen of dolls” in just half a year. They even sparked an “anti-Barbie” wave.
Take Taylor Swift, for example.
That little firecracker once gave Dunn a heart attack!
She’d tossed a Barbie into the microwave, proudly declaring she was done with the “idiot era!”
The stench was so bad, he thought something was on fire.
Anyway, Bezz Dolls were off to a killer start!
With a 49% stake in GA Toys, Dunn added another shiny feather to his investment cap.
He’d originally gone after Mattel because they were Disney’s lapdog.
So, he wasn’t expecting a random call from Michael Eisner.
“What’s up?”
Dunn kept his tone as calm as he could.
Michael Eisner, ever the polished Disney bigwig, replied coolly, “Nothing major. Just giving you a heads-up—Kirk Douglas reached out to me. He’s planning to come after you during awards season and wants me to back him up with some media spin.”
“Huh?” Dunn thought he’d misheard. “And you said yes?”
“I didn’t say no.”
Dunn’s voice chilled. “Mr. Eisner, should I take this as a threat?”
“That’s your call, not mine. I’m Disney’s CEO—I only care about Disney’s interests. Favors, appearances, none of that matters to me.” Eisner’s tone was steady, measured, and firm.
“Hmm?”
Dunn’s mind raced. Appearances don’t matter? That wasn’t Eisner’s usual style!
He caught the hidden meaning in those words and, after a brief pause, chuckled. “Michael, we’ve had our fair share of misunderstandings over the past year or so, haven’t we?”
Eisner’s voice warmed up fast. “We don’t talk much—no real chance to clear the air. It’s all just meddling from outsiders and media hype.”
Dunn burst out laughing. “Mr. Eisner, full disclosure—a few months back, Roy Disney actually met with me.”
“You didn’t seal the deal, though, did you?”
Eisner sounded smugly confident.
Roy Disney had tried flexing his muscles on the board multiple times, only to get shut down hard by Eisner. If Roy had managed to snag a heavy hitter like Dunn from the content world, they’d have teamed up ages ago.
True enough—after waiting nearly six months with no word from Roy, Dunn was getting antsy.
Especially now that Comcast was sniffing around, hinting at a Disney takeover.
In his past life, Comcast’s bid for Disney flopped. But this version of Disney was in worse shape—way more battered. With the butterfly effect in play, Dunn couldn’t bet on that failure repeating itself.
Lately, he’d been piecing things together, connecting the dots. The bigger picture was coming into focus.
Comcast and Viacom were tight—major partners and cross-shareholders. AB Group’s slump and Disney’s stock dive? Blame Sumner Redstone’s Viacom. Comcast wanted Dunn to help tank Disney’s stock even further. And now Comcast was eyeing a Disney buyout…
It all smelled like a grand chess move by Comcast!
They were rallying forces to carve up Disney like a juicy steak.
Dunn wasn’t having it.
Sure, Sumner Redstone might’ve been the MVP in crippling Disney, but Dunn had done his part—crushing Disney’s films at the box office.
Paramount’s Mission: Impossible 2, What Women Want, and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider had nibbled at Disney’s market share, but it was small potatoes.
Dunn Studios was the real heavy hitter!
Disney was a goldmine—whoever grabbed it first would come out on top.
With Roy Disney dragging his feet, Dunn couldn’t afford to wait any longer. He had to lock in what he wanted before Comcast finished integrating AT&T’s cable assets from their recent merger.
If Comcast made an official offer, Disney’s shareholders would jump in, debating the merger.
At that point, all of Disney’s external deals would grind to a halt.
Everything Dunn had worked for over the past year could end up gift-wrapped for Comcast.
That wasn’t the outcome he wanted.
No time to waste—time waits for no one!
Dunn’s tone softened, turning friendly. “Mr. Eisner, there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you. Last month, I wanted to take a colleague’s kid to Disneyland, but it was closed. She’s still giving me grief about it.”
“Oh, that must’ve been 9/11!” Eisner sighed. “No choice there—FBI and CIA orders. They wanted a full sweep for Middle Eastern visitors. You know, Disneyland’s a prime tourist spot.”
Even Eisner sounded frustrated.
The feds had combed through every camera in the park, matching lip movements, and found a few Arabic speakers—none of them terrorists.
It tanked Disney’s bottom line big time.
“What about now? I’m thinking of taking her this weekend,” Dunn said.
Eisner’s pulse quickened.
This wasn’t just about a park visit.
Was it an olive branch? A hint at collaboration?
“No problem!” Eisner jumped in. “I’ll handle it myself—limit the crowd… Nah, scratch that. I’ll tag along, show you around!”
Dunn grinned. “Haha, Mr. Eisner, much appreciated!”
Little Taylor was buzzing with excitement, hopping around and chattering nonstop the whole way. She didn’t even care that Dunn had brought along a stunning beauty, Anne Hasegawa.
Disneyland’s pull on kids was unreal.
Anne was rocking a white tracksuit with pink trim, a baseball cap shading half her gorgeous face, and oversized sunglasses that left only her perfect smile visible.
The girl knew how to dress.
When Michael Eisner met her and Dunn introduced her as Anne Hasegawa, his expression was priceless.
Dunn stifled a laugh, sending Anne off with Taylor to play. Then he turned to Eisner with a grin. “Congrats, man! Monsters, Inc. is killing it at the box office!”
Disney-distributed Monsters, Inc. had exploded on release. For the past four weeks, A Beautiful Mind had held the North American box office crown, raking in over $110 million. But now, it looked like Monsters, Inc. would end that streak.
Eisner was thrilled—sure, Pixar made the film, but it was a much-needed boost for Disney’s sluggish movie biz.
“Clownish stuff, not my thing,” Eisner said, brushing off animation. He never thought cartoon characters had soul. Changing gears, he added, “Oh, by the way, tonight’s episode eight of Band of Brothers, right?”
“You watch Band of Brothers?”
“Been hooked since episode one—amazing stuff! If Pearl Harbor had that kind of quality, it wouldn’t have flopped so hard.”
Dunn’s grin widened. He glanced over at Anne and Taylor riding a carousel and shouted, “Hey, careful! Don’t fall!”
Taylor flashed a huge, happy smile and waved her little hand.
Eisner raised an eyebrow, surprised.
Dunn smirked at him. “A while back, I met with Roy Disney.”
“I know,” Eisner said, squinting.
“He wants you out.”
“I know.”
“I asked for the adaptation rights to Disney’s animated films. He said no.”
“What?”
Eisner froze, staring at him in shock.
Chapter 429: Two-Faced
Truth be told, Michael Eisner had been mentally prepared for this.
Roy Disney hadn’t sealed the deal with Dunn after all this time—obviously, the kid’s demands were way over the top.
But when Eisner actually heard what Dunn was after, he was so shocked he couldn’t even speak!
Turns out, Dunn had his eye on that batch of classic animated films!
A request that bold? No wonder Roy Disney wouldn’t budge!
Those cartoons were the life’s work of the Disney brothers—the founders. They’re the true legacy of the Disney family, handed down from Roy’s parents. To Roy, those films mean more than his own life!
Dunn’s appetite was just too big!
“Disney’s not about to bankroll a competitor!” Michael Eisner shot down the idea flat.
“No, you’ve got it wrong,” Dunn said, shaking his head repeatedly. “I’m not looking to remake those cartoons. What I want is the adaptation rights—for live-action movies.”
Michael Eisner frowned. “That’s still a tough sell. The old guard won’t let anyone touch those assets.”
But Dunn’s eyes lit up.
Sure, Eisner hadn’t said yes—but his response… it left room to maneuver!
That was a far cry from Roy Disney’s flat-out, no-hesitation rejection.
“Negotiations, you know? Sometimes, if both sides give a little, we can land on a win-win,” Dunn said with a fake smile, chuckling lightly.
The two strolled slowly through Disneyland. Their entourages trailed at a distance, and the park was nearly empty—rumor had it Eisner had shut it down for two hours. Guy’s got some serious clout.
“You know I’m a feminist,” Dunn started, all casual-like. “For decades, the New Right, neocons, and religious right have been stomping all over women’s rights. Brutally, too. They’ve swayed Congress, killed the Equal Rights Amendment, fought against abortion, same-sex rights, and equal sexual autonomy. The way they’ve oppressed women? It’s right up there with racial discrimination back in the day.”
He went on, sounding like some compassionate saint. “It’s the 21st century now. The world runs on science and law, not some ancient doctrine from thousands of years ago. The Bible says women are men’s ribs—Genesis even has God telling Eve, ‘Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.’ Ha! How ridiculous is that?”
Michael Eisner stared at Dunn, deep in thought. Honestly, he couldn’t tell if this was the real Dunn or just the version from the rumors.
Wasn’t this guy supposed to be some playboy master of Hollywood’s casting couch? And now he’s genuinely pushing feminism?
Sometimes, Eisner could kinda get where Dunn was coming from. The conservative crowd’s arguments were seriously outdated—claiming the differences between men and women go beyond biology, rooted in some divine law.
That’s just oppressing women in the name of God!
“So… you’ve got your sights set on Disney’s female-led animated films?” Eisner asked.
“Exactly!” Dunn replied, hands behind his back, watching little Taylor playing happily in the distance. Confidence practically radiated off him. “To me, Disney’s cartoons are a goldmine for pushing feminism. And I’m the one holding the key to unlock it.”
Eisner went quiet for a moment, then nodded. “I’ll have to take this back to the board and see if it’s doable.”
No matter what, Dunn’s pitch was lofty—politically correct to the max! It vibed perfectly with Disney’s values.
Half the time, these high-minded, feel-good reasons were the best way to sway a boardroom.
Dunn grinned. “Roy’s got a lot of pull, huh?”
“He doesn’t speak for Disney!” Eisner snapped back.
With Monsters, Inc. hitting theaters, Eisner was riding high. Bringing Pixar’s success under Disney’s umbrella? That was his doing.
Compare that to Roy Disney’s animation department, which was a total disaster—barely worth looking at!
But Dunn’s next line threw cold water on him. “I’m still a major shareholder in Pixar, you know. Oh, right—second only to Jobs.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Eisner’s face tightened.
Dunn blinked, feigning confusion with an innocent look. “What? Did I say something wrong?”
Eisner let out a heavy grunt. “Jobs isn’t exactly a saint!”
His beef with Steve Jobs wasn’t new—it’d been simmering for years.
…
“Dunn, what the hell are you playing at?”
On the phone, Roy Disney was roaring like a madman.
Dunn shrugged at the elegant woman in front of him, then sighed into the receiver. “Mr. Disney, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Still playing dumb? Eisner’s looking into the adaptation rights for those cartoons!” Roy’s voice was shaking with rage.
Dunn rolled his eyes. “Mr. Disney, I don’t get it. We talked about this back in the summer, didn’t we? You kept dragging your feet, so I found someone else to work with. What’s the problem? Am I only allowed to deal with you at Disney?”
“You—!” Roy, usually a man of few words, was fuming now. “Don’t forget, your company almost went belly-up because of Eisner!”
Dunn shrugged it off. “So what? Business is business—alliances shift all the time. No permanent enemies, just permanent interests. Besides, a partnership between Dunn Films and Disney? That’s a win-win, right?”
Win-win?
Win-win, my ass!
If it were really a fair deal, Roy would’ve signed off ages ago. This kid was trying to swoop in during Disney’s internal chaos and stock disputes, looking to score big on the cheap.
Roy gritted his teeth. “Dunn, don’t think I don’t see through you. I’m telling you, no way! As long as I’m around, you’re not touching a single one of Disney’s cartoons!”
Dunn sighed, sounding helpless. “Mr. Disney, you’re a legend in the industry, and I respect you. But you can’t just throw a tantrum like this. I’m not stealing or cheating—just proposing a legit business deal. You didn’t want in, so I went to Eisner. What’s wrong with that?”
“Spare me the fancy talk. We both know what you’re after—using Disney’s name for your own gain. I won’t let it happen!” Roy barked, resolute.
Dunn’s tone cooled. “If you’re this dead-set against me, then we’ve got nothing left to discuss. I want to use Disney’s cartoons to promote women’s rights—what a noble, thrilling mission! How else could Eisner possibly agree?”
“It’s because he wants to cling to power at Disney! And you just want to cash in! It’s a dirty little backroom deal!” Roy was practically unhinged, hurling accusations.
Dunn stayed calm. “That’s your opinion, not mine. Eisner and I are thinking big-picture—your narrow mindset’s holding you back. Sorry, I’ve got company. Goodbye.”
He snapped his flip phone shut and tossed it onto the desk.
A smirk tugged at Dunn’s lips as he scoffed.
Kirk Douglas, Roy Disney—old geezers like them should be enjoying retirement, not meddling in stuff like this. Don’t they ever get tired?
Just then, the stylish woman lounging on the sofa—legs crossed, high-heeled boots swaying lightly—shot him a teasing, provocative look. “Dunn, you’re shameless!”
Dunn’s face flushed. “Sofia, is that how you talk to a friend? Don’t forget, I just did you a huge favor!”
Sofia Coppola let out a little huff. “Some favor. Did you know Rose Pictures pushed Lost in Tokyo’s shooting schedule back to July next year?”
Dunn waved it off. “Rose Pictures has a ton on its plate—everything’s on Kathryn Kennedy’s shoulders, and she’s swamped. Gone Girl shoots early next year, so your movie’s gotta wait.”
Sofia and Dunn were tight—always trading sarcastic emails and jabs in person. She smirked. “Oh, sure. Gone Girl’s based on your book, Mr. Big Shot. Of course my little film can’t compete with your project.”
Dunn groaned. “Sofia, you’re a director now—do you nitpick like this on set too?”
“Don’t talk nonsense. Everyone respects me just fine!”
“Oh, right—have you picked the leads for Lost in Tokyo yet?”
Dunn’s curiosity perked up. He was genuinely interested—the original Lost in Tokyo starred a global goddess, after all…
Chapter 430: Straight Guy Syndrome
*
"The male actor is still being decided, but the female lead has been chosen. It's Scarlett Johansson, an actress with a very artistic flair."
"Scarlett..." Dunn murmured to himself.
Sofia Coppola raised an eyebrow, looking at him with a smirk. "You know her, it seems?"
Dunn cleared his throat. "I've met her once or twice. Her performance in The Horse Whisperer was quite good."
"What a coincidence," Sofia Coppola laughed. "I chose her after seeing her in The Horse Whisperer, too. She's only had small roles before. In my film, this will be her first time as a lead, her first time playing an adult woman!"
"An adult woman? How old is she?"
"Seventeen... she'll turn seventeen at the birthday party at the end of this month."
Dunn was surprised. "Playing an adult woman—won't she seem a bit too young?"
"It'll be easy; I can handle it," Sofia Coppola waved her hand, then gave Dunn a teasing look. "How about you come to her birthday party with me?"
"Me?" Dunn immediately shook his head. "No, thanks. I don't know her well. I'd probably scare her."
"Why would you? She really admires you!"
"Really?"
Sofia Coppola burst into laughter, holding her stomach and pointing at Dunn. "I knew it! You've got a dirty mind and are up to no good! See? You gave yourself away in just a few words, didn't you?"
Dunn's face turned red, and he argued righteously, "There's nothing wrong with appreciating beauty! It's completely normal, right? Besides, I was just asking. I never said I'd actually go."
After a moment of laughter, Sofia Coppola became serious. "Dunn, I'm serious, though. She's very interested in you. She's always asking me about you, especially..."
"Especially what?"
Sofia Coppola hesitated, then said in a low voice, "At the time, your movie Titanic was a global sensation, and your fame was incredible. It was when you were shooting My Big Fat Greek Wedding and we... well, we slept together a few times."
"What?" Dunn frowned. "Why bring that up? Let me be clear, Sofia, I see you as a good friend now, and I don't think of you that way anymore."
She was over thirty now and had lost the fresh, delicate look she had a few years ago.
"You're not giving me a choice!" Sofia Coppola snapped, annoyed. "Idiot! I'm talking about Scarlett!"
"What does us sleeping together have to do with her?"
"At that time, you were at the top of your game. She was a young girl who admired you and was curious, so she asked me a lot of questions about you."
"What?"
Dunn's eyes widened, thinking he'd heard wrong. "You told her we slept together?"
"Yes, we're good friends!"
"Stop!" Dunn looked at her incredulously. "How old was she? Thirteen or fourteen? And you were telling her things like that? You're corrupting a child!"
Sofia Coppola rolled her eyes. "Corrupting a child? Don't be ridiculous! She already had a boyfriend and was thinking about... you know. But it was her first time, so she was a bit scared and confused. She asked me for some advice."
Dunn's expression immediately darkened.
He was furious. A thirteen- or fourteen-year-old girl was already involved in stuff like that. He thought the corrupt American culture was just awful!
Dunn's mood dropped, and he became sullen.
Sofia Coppola found his reaction amusing. She knew Dunn was a chauvinist. With a smirk, she said, "But back then, I told her that Dunn Walker was a chauvinist and that he only liked innocent young women. The next day, she broke up with her boyfriend."
"So what?" Dunn said angrily. "She'll break up with him and just get another one!"
He was in a terrible mood. He felt like a prized cabbage had been trampled by a pig.
"She... as far as I know, she's still a virgin," Sofia Coppola said, biting her lip to hold back her laughter.
Dunn waved his hand, not believing a word of it. "Don't give me that! In a place like America, everyone's a woman after middle school!"
"What about Natalie?"
"She's different! Her family is very traditional, especially her dad. He's very conservative and strict. He wouldn't let her date any boys. What do you think is the reason for her good grades? I was just lucky and got to her early. Otherwise, when she went to college and had more freedom, she would have fallen into the same trap."
Sofia Coppola laughed so hard tears were streaming down her face. "Dunn, you're such a jerk! How can you talk about your girlfriend like that?"
"I'm just being honest!" Dunn said with a huff. "I've slept with... I've dated at least fifty women, and other than Natalie, not a single one of them was a virgin."
That remark included Sofia, whose face turned cold. She said flatly, "You're truly shameless! Believe what you want. Scarlett is a virgin; she told me herself! She's also Jewish, by the way!"
Dunn snorted in disbelief.
Sofia Coppola frowned. "So, you're not planning to go to her birthday party?"
Dunn remained silent.
Sofia Coppola got a bit annoyed, stood up, and waved her hand. "Go or don't go! I don't care to take you anyway! I'm leaving!"
As she reached the door, Dunn called out to her from behind.
"Wait! Hold on!"
"What?"
"What day is her birthday?"
Sofia Coppola almost burst into laughter. She held it in and said, "November 22nd. It's Thanksgiving Day. Why?"
"Oh, Thanksgiving Day! Haha, I just realized I have nothing going on that day."
"So you're going?"
"We're all in the same industry. We'll run into each other eventually. It's a good idea to go and give her a card."
"You're so pathetic! You're saying one thing and doing another!"
Sofia Coppola gave him a sarcastic eye roll.
On November 16th, the commercial blockbuster The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, a co-production between Dunn Pictures and Warner Bros., directed by Ang Lee, was officially released.
The film had a budget of $140 million and a promotional budget of over $70 million. It was a joint production by two of the highest-quality film companies in Hollywood, Dunn Pictures and Warner Bros., with distribution by Universal Pictures, giving it immense influence.
Other blockbusters gave way, leaving the release date to The Chronicles of Narnia. It opened in 3,682 theaters, surpassing Pixar's Monsters, Inc. It was the widest release of the year and the largest opening in Hollywood history!
The results were impressive. The Chronicles of Narnia was a powerhouse at the box office, grossing a massive $89 million in North America in its first three days. It was the best opening of the year!
However, the box office revenue was... slightly different from what Warner had expected.
Warner had estimated that with the lack of competition, The Chronicles of Narnia would easily break the $100 million mark in its opening weekend.
In fact, the first two days were great—$32 million on Friday and $33 million on Saturday. But on Sunday, it only brought in $24 million.
The Chronicles of Narnia had beautiful special effects and great reviews, so what caused a 27% drop in its third day?
The reason was simple: Band of Brothers!
On November 18th, the final episode of Band of Brothers aired on the Starz channel!
That evening, during prime time, more middle-class consumers with the means for entertainment chose to stay home and watch Band of Brothers!
They could watch The Chronicles of Narnia later, but the final episode of Band of Brothers was only on that night!
By then, the number of paid subscribers to the Starz TV network had successfully exceeded 15 million. And that night, the viewership for Band of Brothers hit a new record, breaking through 19 million!
This viewership wasn't just on par with competing specialized cable networks like HBO or Showtime. It was also on par with major television networks like CBS, ABC, and NBC!
Bill McNick had full authority at Dunn Pictures and only consulted Dunn on very important decisions.
After the premiere of Band of Brothers, the mood was originally celebratory.
But the next day, Bill McNick looked a bit troubled.
"What's wrong?"
Dunn was surprised. He had just received an enthusiastic email from Alan Horn, the president of Warner Bros. The success of The Chronicles of Narnia had created a very positive relationship between the two companies.
"It's about the bidding for the Band of Brothers rerun rights," Bill McNick said solemnly.
Dunn laughed. "Didn't we already settle that? Besides the Starz channel, there are five other networks."
Dunn Pictures had bought the North American TV rights for Band of Brothers for $80 million, so they could sell the rerun rights at a high price.
Over the past two weeks, more than 37 TV stations had sought to buy the rerun rights. However, due to factors like price, competition, and personal favors, Bill McNick had confirmed only five.
Among them, The History Channel made the highest bid at $7.5 million, while the lowest was USA Network at $5 million.
Dunn Pictures had earned $30 million just by selling the North American rerun rights for Band of Brothers!
Band of Brothers was a cash cow in the TV world, comparable to Titanic in the film world!
Given this, Dunn's $80 million investment to buy the North American TV rights and global streaming rights for Band of Brothers seemed incredibly cheap.
Bill McNick said in a serious tone, "That's true, but Band of Brothers was so successful. The final episode was a huge event; it felt like the whole country was watching. And now, another network has appeared!"
Dunn frowned, realizing this new network must be something special. Otherwise, Bill McNick would have just rejected them.
Dunn Pictures had made it clear when selling the rerun rights that only five networks would get them, besides Starz. That was the only way they could get such high bids.
"Who is it?"
"Showtime."
"What?"
Dunn slammed his hand on the table and stood up in anger!
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