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🕑 Added 2025-06-09 16:32:47 +0000 UTCChapter 244: The Final Stronghold
On a private plane, Natalie was half-lying, half-leaning against Dunn, whispering in his ear, âI feel like⌠youâve been holding back lately.â
âHolding back? What do you mean?â
âWomen.â
Dunn couldnât help but chuckle, coughing lightly before lowering his voice. âWell⌠truth is, in the crew, Nicole and I have been living together the whole time.â
âSheâs an old flameâdoesnât count,â Natalie said, rolling her eyes. She grinned mischievously. âIâve been watching. The A Beautiful Mind setâs got plenty of pretty girls. Knowing you, back in the day, two weeks of filming wouldâve meant a trail of broken hearts.â
âCome on, itâs not that bad!â Dunn shot her a look.
Every film crew has its share of gorgeous girls, especially a movie like A Beautiful Mind with its college campus setting. But most are extras or hopefuls on the fringes. The only actress with real name recognition? Nicole Kidman.
Hollywoodâs full of temptresses, and even with Dunnâs stamina, he couldnât possibly⌠date them all. He had to pick and choose the best.
Especially with some of the lower-tier actressesâthose on the outskirts desperate to climb the ladderâtheyâd pull out all the stops, no holds barred, consequences be damned.
Sleep with the wrong one, and the fallout could outweigh the fun.
By comparison, the bigger the star, the safer the bet.
âYou know Iâm in a big fight with Disney right now,â Dunn said, shaking his head. âIâm trying not to give them any dirt to use against me. For all I know, some of those pretty girls on set could be Disney plants.â It wasnât paranoiaâit was a real possibility.
Natalie smirked, teasing him. âHere I thought you were some untouchable wild card. Turns out you do get scared!â
Dunn huffed. âIâm bold, not stupid!â
Natalie covered her mouth, giggling uncontrollably.
Just then, Dunnâs phone buzzed. He glanced downâReese Witherspoon.
âReese, whatâs up?â
âWell, thereâs something⌠Uh, you know how a bunch of my Stanford alumni are into startups, especially in Silicon Valley?â Reese sounded a little sheepish. Lately, six or seven of her old classmates had leaned on her to connect them with Dunn. Most were tech companies floundering in the dot-com crash, hoping for a lifeline from his cash.
Dunnâs money didnât grow on trees. He only threw it at Wall Street or Silicon Valley because he had foresightâan edge.
For companies heâd never even heard of? Stanford cred or not, it didnât matter.
âReese,â he said coolly, ânext time, just stall them if you can. The tech crash is a tidal waveâIâm no insider with the power to turn it around.â
âI get that, but theyâre so earnest. And⌠oneâs a much older alumâI couldnât brush him off easily,â Reese said, a bit awkwardly.
âAlright, fine. Whatâs the company?â Dunn had already turned down a slew of funding pleasâwhatâs one more?
âItâs an online video rental thingâŚâ
âNo need to ramble!â Dunn cut her off. Plane calls were spotty anyway, so he kept it sharp. âJust give me the name.â
âNetflix.â
âWhat?â
âNetflix!â
Dunn sat up straight, pulling away from Natalie, his face lighting up with excitement. âYou mean⌠the Netflix that does online video rentals?â
âYep. Waitâyouâve heard of them?â
Dunn nearly burst out laughing.
Heard of them?
They were a thunderclap in his ears!
Right now, Dunn was practically taking on Hollywood single-handedly. With his âsunglasses systemâ and prophetic edge, heâd gathered some serious mojo.
Even so, surviving Hollywood was a grind. Disney alone had nearly wiped him out.
But Netflix? In the real world, theyâd gone toe-to-toe with all of Hollywoodâand won!
As the internet rose, Hollywoodâs old-school ways were slowly drowning. Movies and TV werenât their exclusive turf anymore.
Streaming flipped the game upside down. Giants like 20th Century Fox and Time Warner faced pressure from streamers, forced to sell off chunks of themselves.
And leading that charge? Netflix!
Netflix wouldnât fully dive into streaming for another decade.
Hollywood had seen the internetâs threat coming, though. Back in 2007, Fox, Disney, Universal, and others launched Hulu, a streaming site with unbeatable library muscle thanks to their backing.
But when Netflix stepped up, years of perfecting online rentals, payments, and streaming gave them a massive edge. Their user base and know-how catapulted them forward.
Even with Hollywood tying their hands on licensing, Netflix pivoted fastâoriginal shows. That move sent them soaring, especially with House of Cards, a hit that echoed worldwide and pushed their valuation to $70 billion!
Add up every other streaming companyâs worthâthey still didnât touch Netflix.
Later, they got gutsy, making movies. Hollywood kept them in check, and the Motion Picture Association audits were a hassle.
Did Netflix care? Nope. Their films skipped theaters, going straight to subscribers online.
That gamble paid off bigâtheir value shot past $120 billion!
Compare that: Time Warner sold for $85 billion. Foxâs core assets? $71 billion.
And now, in the middle of this tech crash, that legendary company was begging Reese Witherspoon to get Dunnâs attention for funding.
It was laughableâand ironic as hell.
âReese, tell your alum Iâm impressed with Netflixâs online-offline combo. Have him meet me⌠letâs say the morning after tomorrow, at my office!â
Dunn fought to keep his excitement in check, already picturing a towering future.
Netflix was his final stronghold!
Sure, Dunn had a cheat code in Hollywood, but that didnât mean he could do whatever he wanted. Disneyâs pressure alone often left him scrambling.
What if⌠one day, he pissed off the wrong people and Hollywood turned on him? Or Disney dangled enough cash to unite the other giants against Dunn Films?
Even with his edge, heâd be toast against that kind of mob.
Lately, that fear had weighed heavy on him.
But Netflix? It was a lifeline!
His last bastion!
If Dunn Films crashed and burned, if he got booted from Hollywoodâno sweat. Heâd still have Netflix.
With that shell and the internetâs reach, he could still shake up movies and TV from the outside.
And then? No more playing nice, no more Hollywood rulesâheâd swing big and bold!
Hollywoodâs strong, but Netflix doesnât flinch!
Of course, thatâs a last resort. Dunn wouldnât ditch Hollywood unless he had no choice.
He let out a long breath, stretched, and grinned.
Talk about luckâNetflix dropping into his lap right now? Itâs a dragon egg, its glow still hidden.
Once it hatches, that dragonâs taking flight!
Before, the âpackage investment planâ was Dunnâs ace, Dunn Filmsâ lifeline.
But now? His confidence was sky-high. Compared to that, Netflix was the real trump card!
Chapter 245: Ace vs. Ace (Part 1)
With Spider-Man raking in over $1.19 billion worldwide, making it the second-highest-grossing film in history behind Titanic, it was only natural for Dunn Pictures to throw a massive celebration bash.
Bill Mechanic, the president of Dunn Pictures, personally handled the arrangements. The party was set at the Hilton in Beverly Hills, with bigwigs from Universal Pictures, Marvel Entertainment, and Marvel Studios on the guest listânot to mention the Spider-Man crew.
It was a formal affair. Dunn and Natalie showed up dressed to the nines, right on time, instantly stealing the spotlight.
Before they arrived, the golden couple everyone had been buzzing about was Spider-Manâs leads, James Franco and Jessica Alba.
âDirector! Long time no seeâyouâre looking great!â James Franco had sharp eyesâor maybe heâd been watching the entrance. The second Dunn appeared, he darted over, flashing a bit of a suck-up grin. He even tossed a compliment Natalieâs way. âMiss Portman, that dress tonight? Stunning.â
âThanks,â Natalie replied with a small, professional smile.
Dunn, though, stayed cool as a cucumber.
There was a time heâd seen big potential in James Francoâdreamed of molding him into a Leonardo DiCaprio-level star.
But during the Disney-Dunn Pictures feud, Franco had played it vague, refusing to pick a side. That tanked Dunnâs opinion of him fast.
Smarts? Emotional intelligence? Franco was top-tier among actors. Too smart, maybeâalways trying to ride the fence, play both sides, never ruffling feathers.
Dunn couldnât stand that kind of person.
Take Mel Gibson: people trashed him, called him dumb, hotheaded, even racist. But when push came to shove, his âdumbâ loyalty and guts earned Dunnâs respect for life.
Looking at Franco now, Dunnâs old warmth was gone. He gave a stiff, professional smile. âSeems like youâre doing well. Keep in shapeâsix months from now, weâre kicking off the Spider-Man sequel.â
âI know, heh, Iâve got a nutritionist on it. By the time we shoot the sequel, Iâll be in even better shape than I am now!â Franco had signed a mega-deal with Marvel Studiosâlocked into the Spider-Man role for at least the next 20 years.
Heâd come to terms with it. Spider-Man was a global sensation, and that role was destined to shower him with unmatched fame. From here on out, heâd live and breathe Spider-Man, onscreen and off.
After some small talk, Jessica Alba wandered over, a little late to the party. Her gaze at Dunn was layered with something complicated.
Natalie, well aware the two had a fling, made up an excuse and slipped off to chat with someone else.
Seeing Jessica Alba stirred mixed feelings in Dunn.
Their fling had been short-livedâover as soon as Spider-Man wrapped.
Sheâd landed the female lead partly thanks to James Cameronâs nudge, and partly because Dunn couldnât resist her looks.
But filming Spider-Man brought out a problemâone he hadnât hit with Titanic, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, or Star Wars: Episode I.
Jessica Albaâs face⌠it was a nightmare to shoot.
In his past life, sheâd been a Cameron favorite yet stayed stuck in B-list territory for a reason.
Looks-wise, Jessica was drop-dead gorgeousâflawless, even. She outshone Dunnâs past leading ladies like Kate Winslet, Nicole Kidman, and Natalie Portman in raw beauty.
But movies arenât static photos. Itâs a flowing art form, and being pretty didnât guarantee looking good on film.
If it did, Hollywood wouldnât bother with huge casting callsâjust pluck models from Victoriaâs Secret, home to the worldâs prettiest faces.
Truth is, those VS angel faces were built for flat shots. They were 2Dâthink modern influencer vibes. Movies needed 3D faces.
Take Kate Winslet in Titanic. When the camera circled her in a full 360, you didnât just stay hookedâyou drowned in the beauty and romance.
Jessica Alba, though? She gave Dunn headaches on Spider-Man.
Every shot of her face had to nail the perfect angle to look stunningâlike those influencers who only shine at a 45-degree selfie tilt.
Itâs not that other angles made her uglyâthey just didnât match.
A 360 spin around Kate Winslet? Seamless, constant beauty. Jessica? Nope.
From the front, her face was soft, delicate, blooming like a flowerâpeak Asian aesthetic.
But shift the angle, and it flipped. Mixed-race or not, her Caucasian traits dominated: deep-set eyes, sharp nose, chiseled jaw. That screamed strength, defianceâtotal Western vibe, clashing hard with her front-facing softness.
Front: Asian-style gentle beauty. Side: Western-style sharp coolness.
In movies, a roleâs depth leans heavy on facial expressions. Jessicaâs face just wasnât cut for nuanced, multi-angle close-ups.
That boxed her inânarrowed her range. For something like Dark Angel, they ditched frontal shots for side angles to play up her tough-agent edge.
It was a natural limit. Even Dunn, with his golden touch, couldnât fix it.
During Spider-Man, heâd clocked the issue and kept his distance. He knew she was Endeavor Agencyâs golden girl, groomed by Ari Emanuel to be their top star.
But Dunn couldnât help her there.
âHey, Jessica, heard you snagged a new role?â
âYeah, Beyond Paradise. Iâm the lead,â she said with a sweet smile that could light up the whole party.
âOh, nice! Congrats.â
She shook her head modestly, flashing pearly whites. âAll thanks to Spider-Manâs boost.â
Dunn grinned. âWeâve got a few more Spider-Man movies coming. Your roleâs safe.â
âThanks.â She paused, giving him a deep look. âNo matter what, I owe you. Spider-Man was a game-changer for me.â
âHeh.â
Dunn let out an awkward laugh. Tough topic to roll with.
Beyond her tricky face, Jessicaâs EQ was a weak spot too. She didnât catch his discomfort, pursing her lips and dropping her voice. âDunn, if⌠you ever want to, Iâm still up for it anytime.â
âCoughâ!â
Dunn nearly choked.
He knew exactly what she meant, but he had zero interest in rekindling anything physicalâor friendly-plus.
Favors like that are a pain to repay!
Hollywoodâs full of gorgeous women. Even with Jessicaâs looks, Dunn wasnât about to twist himself into knots over a fling.
He was in it for fun, not torture.
Just then, his little secretary Isla Fisher swooped in to save the day.
Petite and peppy, she rocked a tight red-and-black striped dress and sky-high heels, trotting over without a care for grace. Heads turned.
âCarefulâdonât trip!â
Dunn flinched, rushing a couple steps to grab her arm. âWhyâre you running?â
Isla, panting, ignored his question. She swallowed hard, voice tense. âEisner⌠Eisnerâs here!â
âWho?â
âDisneyâs chairman, Michael Eisner!â
âWhat?â
Dunnâs eyes shot wide, his face darkening in an instant.
What the hell was he doing here?
Chapter 246: Ace vs. Ace (Part 2)
At such a formal event, Isla Fisherâs quick jog caught a lot of attention. Many people started to suspect something big was about to happen.
When they saw Dunnâs expression suddenly change, it only confirmed their suspicions.
What exactly was going on?
Natalie walked over, looking at Dunn with concern. âWhatâs wrong?â
Dunn glanced around and noticed several people edging closer. His chest tightened a little as he lowered his voice. âMichael Eisnerâs here.â
âWhat?â
Just like Dunn, Natalie couldnât help but let out a soft gasp when she heard the news.
In Hollywood, Michael Eisnerâs name carried serious weight!
Sure, over the past while, Dunn had been holding his own against himâsometimes even getting the upper hand.
But Michael Eisner had been a powerhouse in Hollywood for twenty years. His track record of turning things around in the clutch had earned him a king-like presence.
If Dunn had stunned Hollywood in 2000 with his breakout moment, then Michael Eisner had been stunning it every single year for the past two decades!
Dunnâs current rise was basically a remix of Eisnerâs dominance over the last twenty years!
âIs something going to happen?â Natalie, still young and a bit rattled, grabbed Dunnâs arm tightly, her face paling.
Isla Fisher nearby looked just as uneasy, while Jessica Alba stood there confused. What was the big deal? The chairman of Disney showing up to celebrate Spider-Manâs massive success seemed like a good thingâa point of pride for Dunn Pictures. So why did it feel like they were bracing for a fight?
Seeing everyoneâs eyes on himâand a few more people drifting overâDunn took a deep breath, waved a hand casually, and grinned. âItâs fine, everyone. Keep enjoying the drinks!â
Facing a titan like Michael Eisner, even someone like Bill Mechanic would be out of his league and unable to handle it.
This was a burden Dunn had to shoulder himself.
So he couldnât afford to lose his cool.
No matter why Michael Eisner had shown up uninvited, Dunn had to stay calm and steadyâideally projecting an air of breezy confidence to reassure everyone.
He patted Natalieâs waist and whispered in her ear, âStay cool, donât panic!â
Natalie was sharp and caught on quick. She realized her earlier reaction had been too obvious.
In that moment, she was representing Dunn Picturesâespecially with so many female guests at the celebration watching her every move. Right now, Dunn Pictures and Disney were locked in a fierce behind-the-scenes battle. She couldnât afford to look shaken.
Taking a deep breath, Natalie nodded firmly. âDonât worry, I know what to do.â
Dunn gave her a small smile. Heâd always trusted his girlfriend, especially when it came to handling people.
Just then, Kevin Feige, the assistant to Marvel Studiosâ president, approached with a furrowed brow and a hushed tone. âBoss, everything okay?â
Dunn smirked. âWhen the enemy comes, we fight; when the flood comes, we build a dam! Itâs just Michael Eisnerâwhatâs the big deal? Iâll go deal with him.â
Isla Fisher watched Dunnâs bold confidence with stars in her eyes.
Lately, sheâd finished the first draft of her book Gone Girl and showed it to her writer mom, whoâd given it praise like never before.
That had reignited her dream of being an author. After seeing the ugly, private sides of so many Hollywood actresses, her interest in acting had faded. Sheâd rather stick by Dunnâs side as a laid-back little assistant than chase that life.
Dunn clapped Kevin Feige on the shoulder and said firmly, âKeep things steady here. No matter what happens, this is Spider-Manâs victory partyâwe canât lose face!â
âGot it!â Kevin nodded decisively.
âGood.â Dunn took Natalieâs hand, giving her a deep look. âLetâs go meet this Disney chairman.â
âAlright!â Natalie quickly pulled herself together, flashing an easy smile that made her look cheerful. But the faint tension in her brow still betrayed a bit of nerves.
Michael Eisner was like some larger-than-life villainâhis reputation left an indelible mark.
Hand in hand with Natalie, Dunn strode toward the entrance with his head held high, moving at a steady, unrushed pace.
A small crowd had already gathered there.
Then a young guy hurried overâDunn recognized him as Bill Mechanicâs secretary. He quietly told Dunn that Michael Eisner had come through Ron Meyer, the president of Universal Pictures, bringing gifts and a female companion. It didnât seem like he was here to pick a fight.
That was key info. Combined with rumors from a few days ago about Disney wanting to bury the hatchet with Dunn Pictures, Dunn had a hunch about why Eisner had shown up unannounced.
Was he trying to smooth things over?
Dunn let out a cold smirk.
Not a chance!
Sure enough, as he got closer, he saw Bill Mechanic, president of Dunn Pictures, and Vice President West Cotton chatting amiably with a sharply dressed older man.
Maybe it was the toll of several major surgeries, but at 58, Michael Eisner looked older than his years. Still, he hadnât let himself go physically, a sign of the discipline he demanded of himself.
Since starting with Titanic, Dunn had been in Hollywood for four years and faced plenty of rivals. But Michael Eisner? Hands down, he was the toughest.
Still, Dunnâs eyes only lingered on him for a second before shifting to someone else.
Eisnerâs companion today was a young, pretty, and playful-looking girl Dunn recognized: Disneyâs golden princess and pop sensationâBritney Spears!
Right now, Britney Spears was the hottest name in music. Her second album, Oops!... I Did It Again, had smashed sales records, leaving even Madonna and Michael Jackson in the dust.
Natalie clearly noticed Britney too. She raised an eyebrow and murmured, âLooks like⌠heâs trying to tempt you with Britney.â
Given Michael Eisnerâs status, there was no way heâd be romantically linked with Britney Spears. And even if he was, heâd never bring her out in public like this.
So Britney showing up as his âcompanionâ at Spider-Manâs victory party? It was obviously aimed at Dunn!
Dunnâs lips curled into a faint sneer. âA honey trap? Heâs seriously underestimating me.â
Natalie smirked too, her expression dripping with sarcasm.
Sure, Dunn had a reputation for being a bit of a player. But thinking heâd fall for a cheap trick like this? Pure delusion.
Natalie had total faith in him on that front.
A real big shot who liked women would keep them firmly under controlânot plant a ticking time bomb by their side.
Dunn flashed a relaxed smile and extended his right hand toward Michael Eisner from a distance, his tone carrying a hint of apology. âMr. Eisner, I had no idea youâd come in person. Sorry for not greeting you soonerâhope youâll forgive me!â
His warm, almost buddy-like vibe made Eisnerâs eyes narrow slightly. Eisner reached out with both hands, gripping Dunnâs enthusiastically. âDirector Walker! Haha, Iâm the one crashing your partyâI should be apologizing to you.â
âNo way! Youâre too kind. Having you here at Spider-Manâs celebration is an honor for us,â Dunn said, radiating warmth and welcome.
Their handshake was firm, and Dunn could feel the heat and strength in Eisnerâs grip.
After some quick small talk, Dunn was certain of one thing: Michael Eisner wasnât here to start trouble.
That eased his mind a ton.
It wasnât that Dunn feared him. The issue was the settingâthis was Spider-Manâs big night. If things got messy, Dunn would lose face. Even if he managed to chase Eisner off, the fallout would still be a loss for Dunn Pictures.
Plus, with so many Universal Pictures execs in the room, getting shown up by a rival at his own party would tank his cred with them.
But now? His worries were overblown.
If Michael Eisner was actually here with a bit of a peace offering, trying to mend fences with Dunn Pictures, itâd be the cherry on top of the celebration.
Disneyâs top dog personally showing up to âmake amends,â even bringing the ultra-popular Britney Spears to âcheer upâ Dunn? That was pure glory.
The Universal execs watching this unfold would see it in a way Dunn couldnât have planned better.
Universal wasnât exactly thriving these days.
After Vivendi bought Universal Pictures, just as Dunn had predicted, the Vivendi Group kicked off a major restructuringâsplitting up departments left and right.
Ten years ago, Panasonic had shelled out $6.5 billion to snag Universal Pictures.
Back then, Universal was at its peak!
They had movies, TV, music, games, publishing, theme parks, home entertainmentâthe works.
But Vivendi, a French company infamous for asset reshuffling, changed all that.
After merging with the Seagram Group, they formed Vivendi Universal Entertainment, lumping in Blizzard, Sierra, Canal+ TV, PathĂŠ Films, and Universal Pictures.
Universalâs gaming division got carved off into Vivendi Games. Publishing went to Vivendi Publishing. Music to Vivendi Music. Internet stuff to Vivendi NetworksâŚ
Compared to the old Universal Pictures, the current version had lost 60% of its assets!
Aside from the movie studio shell, all they had left was the theme park business. Universalâs execs had seen their power slashed, stripped bare by the French owners.
Once a Hollywood titan, Universal Pictures was now just one cog in Vivendiâs film division, sitting alongside Franceâs PathĂŠ Films. Total humiliation!
Meanwhile, their partner Dunn Pictures was riding highâenough to draw Disneyâs big boss Michael Eisner to their doorstep, uninvited, with a hint of flattery.
Ron Meyer watched Dunn handle it all with calm confidence and a casual laugh, feeling a mix of emotions swirl inside him.
