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Chapter 141: Saw
🕑 Added 2025-05-03 03:16:12 +0000 UTC“Dunn! Dunn! I’m a reporter from LA Entertainment Channel. Can I ask you a few questions?”
Dunn hadn’t expected to run into entertainment reporters right at the company’s entrance first thing in the morning. Luckily, there weren’t too many of them.
“Sure.”
“Disney and Fox both adjusted their schedules at the same time, clashing with Saw’s release. What’s your plan to handle this?”
Dunn raised an eyebrow, keeping his cool. “Oh, really? Sorry, I haven’t heard anything about that yet. But Saw’s release date is locked in—fans can head to theaters on the date printed on the posters.”
The reporters’ eyes lit up. They could ignore the first half of his dodge—Dunn’s real answer was in the second part.
Dunn’s got guts! He’s planning to push through Disney and Fox’s pressure and carve his own path!
Anyone with a bit of industry know-how could see it: Dunn Pictures was being targeted by the big dogs.
“So, word is Dunn Pictures had a falling out with 20th Century Fox?”
“No way!” Dunn shot back. “For the past three years, 20th Century Fox has been our best partner. We’ve made a ton of great movies together.”
“What about Disney, then? Their media outlets have been all over your love life these past few months. Rumor has it they’re deliberately tweaking their schedule to squash Saw.”
Dunn’s expression didn’t budge. “Sorry, I don’t know much about Disney. But… my name’s Dunn, and Saw is my movie!”
As Dunn walked off, the reporters buzzed, dissecting his words.
Doesn’t know much about Disney? Disney’s a global giant! Was he brushing off their petty tricks?
---
Dunn headed straight to Bill Mechanic’s office. “Bill, have we locked in a president for Frenzy Films yet?”
Frenzy Films—short for Frenzy Movie Studios—was Dunn Pictures’ newest subsidiary, set up to produce and distribute low-budget horror and thriller flicks.
Bill Mechanic took off his reading glasses and joined Dunn on the couch. “I’ve got someone in mind—Glenn Morgan, an old colleague of mine.”
“From Fox? That might be tough to poach,” Dunn said, frowning.
Bill shook his head. “He used to be a creative officer and producer in Fox’s TV division. Made some killer shows like The X-Files and Millennium. He’s great at building suspense in everyday stories—perfect for thrillers.”
“And now?”
“Now he’s left TV for movies,” Bill said with a sly glance at Dunn. “His first gig as a producer and writer? Final Destination.”
“Oh, that guy!” Dunn’s eyes widened. “Can we snag him? After Final Destination’s big win, New Line’s probably ready to hand him the keys.”
Bill waved it off with a grin. “Even if they do, how high can they promote him? We’re offering him the presidency of Frenzy Films! Plus, he worked under me before—we’ve got history.”
Dunn clapped his hands. “Done deal, then! Hmm… since it’s a new company launch, I’ll personally produce a film as a little opening gift for Frenzy Films!”
Bill’s eyes sparkled with a hint of envy.
Young people and their endless energy!
Dunn’s juggling Saw prep, promotion, Cannes Film Festival plans, and now he’s tossing in a new movie idea out of nowhere. Good thing low-budget horror doesn’t take too much out of you.
Back in his office, Dunn called out to Ella Fisher. “Get me a few writers—ones who nail suspense and thriller plots.”
Ella froze, thinking of the book Dunn had her working on. “Dunn… are you writing a new book?”
He laughed. “No book—a script! I don’t have time to write it myself, so I’ll outline the story and let them flesh it out.”
“Oh.” Ella nodded, still processing. “What’s it called?”
“Saw!”
“A horror flick?”
Dunn waved her off with a grin. “Enough about that—it’s not your thing. Just finish that book you’re working on! Oh, by the way, did we secure the rights for Silent Hill?”
“Yep, Mr. Hill flew to Asia yesterday to negotiate the film rights for the game himself.”
“Nice. We’re good, then.”
---
Word finally came from A Agency: Asian director Ang Lee had agreed in principle to work with Dunn Pictures on Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
He’s tied up promoting Ride with the Devil in Asia right now, but he’ll be back in the U.S. by late April to hash out details with Dunn Pictures.
Dunn wasn’t in the mood to haggle, so he handed the talks to David Heyman—the executive producer and point man for the project.
Right now, Dunn’s heart was set on Saw.
Frenzy Films might be a “separate” subsidiary, but like Marvel Studios, it had little autonomy and shared the same office building as Dunn Pictures.
With over $10 million in leftover funds, Dunn Pictures injected $5 million into Frenzy Films to kick things off—starting with Saw.
Budget? Somewhere between $1.2 and $1.5 million.
For the director, Frenzy Films’ new president, Glenn Morgan, pitched four names: Wes Craven, George Romero, Paul Anderson, and James Wong.
- Wes Craven: American horror legend, directed A Nightmare on Elm Street. Fee? At least $2 million.
- George Romero: Horror master, made classics like Night of the Living Dead. Not cheap either.
- Paul Anderson: British sci-fi guy, great with suspense on a small scale.
- James Wong: Directed Final Destination. Hot right now.
Bill Mechanic wanted a big name—Frenzy Films’ debut needed to pop. Glenn Morgan leaned toward James Wong, fresh off their Final Destination success.
But Dunn surprised them both.
“If they’re masters, let them rest on their laurels. What we need is a director who’ll stick to the script and shoot it straight—no divas.”
“James Wong? Nah. Final Destination worked because of its killer concept—the directing didn’t scream ‘genius.’”
“Bill, during the Super Bowl, I watched every ad closely. A few stood out—like that Mercedes one. Dark, moody vibes that nailed the car’s hefty, classy feel.”
Bill, who’d been next to Dunn during the game, raised an eyebrow. He’d wondered why Dunn cared so much about ads—turns out he was scouting directors!
“Dunn, isn’t that a bit risky?”
“Nope. I’m telling you, as long as they follow the script to the letter, even a fresh film school grad could pull off something jaw-dropping. Don’t forget—this is my idea!” Dunn thumped his chest, grinning with pride. “With Frenzy Films’ low-budget B-movies, I want to build a killer pool of directors for Dunn Pictures!”
Bill got it. Dunn wasn’t just making movies—he was growing his own talent.
Loyalty’s a two-way street. Help someone out when they’re down, and they’ll remember it. If the terms are decent, directors groomed by Dunn Pictures would stick around as key partners.
Against giants like Disney and Fox, Dunn Pictures couldn’t win on connections or muscle. Cultivating a crew of filmmakers might just be their way to break through the blockade.
“What’s his name?”
“Zack Snyder.”
Bill and Glenn exchanged blank looks. Dunn chuckled. “I checked him out. He’s got vision—loves blood, violence, action. He’s been stuck doing TV and ads for ten years, waiting for a shot. This time, I’m giving him one!”
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