356-358

Chapter 356: The Three Big Shots Are So Quirky  

Dunn suddenly felt a flicker of doubt creep into his mind.  

Am I being too cautious?  

In the world of professional cable TV, even the top dog, HB Network, is only worth about $10 billion right now. Lei Shidong controls a media empire worth $100 billion—would he really care about this tiny sector that’s worth $10 billion at most? Even if TA Network somehow stepped on HB Network’s toes, would he actually stoop to messing with us?  

Dunn hated this feeling—this lack of control, this sense of being at someone else’s mercy. It was suffocating!  

Strength. He needed to build up his strength, and fast!  

When it came to personal wealth, Dunn was already plenty rich. But in terms of influence and the scope of his power? That was still way too small.  

Lei Shidong, a titan of the business world, was flawless in his social graces. Dunn had barely been in the room for a minute when he saw the man striding toward him with steady steps and a warm, welcoming smile.  

“Sorry to keep you waiting! I got caught up chatting with a few old buddies over there,” Lei Shidong called out, extending both hands as he approached quickly. His enthusiasm was almost like one of those young stars trying to butter Dunn up.  

But of course, this wasn’t flattery—it was just good manners.  

Dunn felt a little overwhelmed and didn’t dare slack off. He hurried forward, bending slightly to shake Lei Shidong’s hand. The man was old—his hand felt like shriveled skin over bones, but it was warm and surprisingly firm.  

“Mr. Lei Shidong, you’re a legend I’ve admired for ages. Please don’t say that!” Dunn said, towering over him and bowing slightly, almost like he was paying respects.  

Everyone at this banquet was a business elite. Looking around, aside from a few female companions, the youngest guy there had to be in his fifties.  

And then there was Dunn, this twenty-something kid.  

Naturally, he drew every eye in the room.  

Seeing him bow so humbly, a lot of the older guys smiled and nodded quietly to themselves.  

This kid’s not as brash as the rumors make him out to be!  

Lei Shidong spoke slowly, “You’re willing to hang out with us old-timers and liven up the place. It makes me feel pretty good about myself!”  

Dunn grinned and played along, “Old-timers? Mr. Lei Shidong, from where I’m standing, you’re still young and full of energy!”  

Lei Shidong burst out laughing.  

At 78, he was still firmly in charge of Viacom Group, clearly not ready to admit he was past his prime.  

Seeing him laugh so heartily, Dunn seized the moment. “Mr. Lei Shidong, my company has a lot of business ties with your Viacom Group. I’ll be counting on your guidance and support going forward.”  

“Oh?” Lei Shidong raised an eyebrow.  

Tosca Musk, standing nearby, chimed in with a bright smile, “I oversee Sillywood Animation, and we produced a CG movie, Fantastic Four, which aired on Nickelodeon. Our music reality show, American Idol, is also partnered with B Network.”  

Lei Shidong glanced at her and gave her a light handshake.  

Dunn smiled and introduced her, “She’s my assistant—Tosca Musk, vice president of Dunn Films.”  

“Definitely a fresh, energetic company!” Lei Shidong said, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. “By the way, I hear your TV station… Tarz Network, right? It’s doing pretty well?”  

Dunn’s heart skipped a beat, but he steadied himself and replied casually, “Just small-time stuff. It’s nothing worth mentioning in front of someone like you.”  

Lei Shidong grinned. “Looks to me like it’s growing nicely. But here’s a bit of advice from an old hand: business is a lot like my grandson’s grades. Going from a D to a B? Easy. B to an A? Takes ten times the effort. A to an A-plus? That’s a hundred times the work.”  

Dunn’s back stiffened. He took a deep breath and nodded seriously. “Mr. Lei Shidong, that makes so much sense—I’ve learned a lot already! TA Network’s definitely hit that wall. Early growth looked smooth, but turning installed users into subscribers? That’s a long road ahead.”  

“Smart kid!” Lei Shidong patted his shoulder. “I won’t keep you—I’m off to grab a drink with some old friends over there.”  

Dunn let out a quiet sigh of relief, his expression shifting between light and shadow.  

Talking to a big shot like that? Every second was pressure.  

Tosca Musk leaned in, lowering her voice. “Are we being too paranoid? Lei Shidong… he seems friendly enough. A guy that big wouldn’t bother nitpicking with us youngsters, right?”  

Dunn’s lips curved slightly as he watched Lei Shidong’s retreating figure, his gaze deepening. “The bigger they are, the harder they are to read. I hate that feeling.”  

Tosca let out a breath. “Well, we’ve done everything we can. Even if he did try to push us down, we’ve got enough cover to buy some time.”  

“Exactly. Better safe than sorry,” Dunn said with a soft hum. “Look at the world with the best intentions, zoom in on the details, and you’ll see ugliness everywhere. Look at people with the worst intentions, and suddenly everything seems beautiful.”  

Tosca smirked. “Getting philosophical on me, huh?”  

…  

A host of Lei Shidong’s caliber wasn’t about to personally introduce Dunn, a junior, to every guest.  

That was up to Dunn’s own initiative.  

Luckily, Tosca Musk was on top of her game. She’d done her homework on all the industry heavyweights.  

With her help, Dunn met a lineup of cable TV legends: Ted Turner, vice chairman of Time Warner; Robert Johnson, founder of Black Entertainment Television; John Hendricks, founder of Discovery Communications, and more.  

The chats were brief, surface-level—no real substance.  

That is, until he ran into Conrad Black, chairman and CEO of Hollinger International, the world’s third-largest newspaper group.  

This guy was nuts.  

“I’ve got a grudge with that jerk—the one in the blue suit,” Conrad Black said, pointing.  

Dunn was floored. The guy he was pointing at? None other than Rupert Murdoch, the head of News Corp!  

Dunn’s mouth twitched. He had no idea how to respond.  

He knew Conrad Black was Canadian and had flown to LA just for Lei Shidong’s party.  

Sure, he was an outsider, but he was still a business elite, right?  

Wasn’t he a little too blunt?  

“I control hundreds of small-town newspapers across the U.S. Not huge, but there’s a lot of them!” Conrad Black went on, ignoring Dunn’s stunned look, lost in his own rant.  

Dunn was totally confused, struggling to figure out what Black was even getting at.  

Then Conrad kept going. “News Corp’s got a big operation. Their newspapers compete directly with mine, and they’re in movies and TV too—especially TV!”  

Dunn didn’t want to get dragged into some massive mess. Playing it safe, he jumped in, “I’ve got a business partnership with Twentieth Century Fox.”  

But Conrad Black didn’t even register what Dunn said. He barreled on, “You’re sharp, and your company’s growing fast. Whether it’s Viacom or News Corp, they’re both going to hit roadblocks down the line.”  

Dunn straightened up. “Mr. Black, I think you’ve got the wrong idea…”  

Conrad waved him off, cutting him short. He pulled a business card from his pocket and handed it to Dunn. “Want to work together? Call me. My enemy’s Murdoch!”  

And with that, he turned and walked off.  

Not a shred of hesitation.  

Dunn just stood there, dumbfounded, exchanging a look with Tosca Musk behind him. Both of them were visibly shocked and thrown off.  

What the heck just happened?  

Are all big shots this eccentric?  

Lei Shidong’s weirdness was the kind that hid a knife behind a smile. Conrad Black? He was just straight-up wild.  

So brutally honest—he didn’t even seem like a businessman!  

A feud with Murdoch?  

Hmm… might be something worth using later.  

Dunn sipped his wine, wandering the banquet hall with Tosca Musk by his side. Finally, he spotted two familiar faces—Steven Spielberg and Francis Coppola!  

In terms of fame, Spielberg was hands-down Hollywood’s top director today. Commercial hits, art films—he nailed them all.  

But Dunn noticed something sharp: in this crowd of media moguls, Francis Coppola was the one getting more love.  

“Guess the old guys are bigger fans of The Godfather trilogy,” Dunn mused, shaking his head with a wry smile.  

He’d thrown plenty of parties and banquets himself, packed with stars like Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Mel Gibson, Nicole Kidman, and Jodie Foster. They’d all shown up to support him.  

But those were just “stars.”  

Lei Shidong’s birthday bash? This was a real top-tier gathering.  

Aside from Dunn and Spielberg, who ran their own companies, the only true Hollywood “artist” here was Francis Coppola—a director with insane clout among the elite.  

As for those so-called A-listers, dazzling and glamorous out in the world?  

Here, they didn’t even qualify.  

Even the big shots’ arm candy wasn’t your typical actresses.  

“Dunn! Dunn! Look, three o’clock!”  

Dunn was still mulling over the low status of actors and debating whether to chat up Spielberg when Tosca Musk started buzzing in his ear, barely containing her excitement.  

“Who?”  

Dunn glanced over at three o’clock and saw a bald old man—round face, high forehead, kind eyes—raising his glass toward them with a friendly grin before heading their way.  

Tosca was practically vibrating. “Dunn, he’s coming over! Oh my gosh, he’s actually walking toward us!”  

“Who is he?” Dunn asked, totally lost and half-laughing.  

“You don’t know him?”  

Tosca looked at him like he’d lost it, almost gritting her teeth. “He’s a legit genius! A titan among titans, the cream of the elite crop! In the global business world, there are two names everyone knows: Bill Gates and him!” 

Chapter 357: The World’s Greatest Manager 

Dunn was loaded now, but his circle was still mostly Hollywood. He had some ties to Wall Street and Silicon Valley through a few investments, but those connections weren’t deep. 

This birthday party for Sumner Redstone? It was a whole different crowd—mostly business elites. Totally different from the people Dunn usually hung out with. 

There were maybe twenty-something guests at the event, and with their plus-ones, about fifty people total. Dunn recognized fewer than five of them! 

He could tell the older guy walking over, the one getting Tosca Musk so excited she was practically losing it, had to be some kind of business legend. But Dunn had no clue who he was! 

Someone as big as Bill Gates? 

The first name that popped into Dunn’s head was Warren Buffett. 

But he knew Buffett. Maybe not in person in this life, but he’d seen plenty of photos online in his past life. 

This guy, though? Dunn was drawing a complete blank. 

“Who the heck is he?” Dunn muttered, starting to get annoyed. It felt like Tosca was messing with him. 

Tosca, half-laughing, half-exasperated, gritted her teeth and said, “He’s Jack Welch, the chairman and CEO of General Electric!” 

“Oh! That guy!”  

It finally clicked for Dunn. 

He’d never met Jack Welch, and in his past life, he hadn’t heard of him either. But in this life, he’d rubbed shoulders with some heavy hitters—Steve Jobs, Sumner Redstone, Michael Ovitz, Eric Schmidt, Elon Musk. And in conversations with them, Jack Welch’s name kept coming up! 

Tosca saying he was on par with Bill Gates? That was underselling it. The guy was in a league of his own! 

Sure, Bill Gates was famous for his wealth—world’s richest guy and all that. But when it came to influence and standing in the business world, Gates didn’t hold a candle to Jack Welch. 

Jack Welch was the world’s greatest manager. 

Pretty much every manager out there had a copy of Welch’s autobiography on their shelf, treating it like gospel. Even Dunn had one in his office. 

Last year, Dunn read an article in Fortune magazine that blew his mind. Every year, Fortune ranks the top 500 companies in the world. And get this: over 30 of those companies had CEOs who came out of General Electric under Jack Welch’s leadership! 

Half of them had worked directly or indirectly under Welch himself. 

In other words, more than 15 of the world’s most powerful companies were run by Welch’s protégés. Talk about a legacy! 

Even in Hollywood, Disney’s big boss, Michael Eisner, had publicly said more than once that his management philosophy came from Welch. Though, let’s be real—Eisner was probably just hyping himself up. His heavy-handed style was the exact opposite of what Welch preached. 

Worried Dunn still wasn’t getting it, Tosca quickly added, “Mr. Welch ran GE for 20 years. The company’s value skyrocketed over 40 times. Right now, GE’s worth over $460 billion, second only to Microsoft. Number two in the world.” 

Dunn nodded slightly, took a deep breath, and put on his most respectful face. He practically jogged over to meet Welch. “Mr. Welch, I can’t believe I’m meeting you here! Your management ideas have been such an inspiration to me.” 

Welch smiled and shook his hand. “My ideas are for running big, diverse companies. I haven’t done much in the financial markets.” 

Everyone knew most of Dunn’s wealth came from playing the stock market. 

Dunn replied earnestly, “The financial market’s just a gamble. At the end of the day, I want to build and run my own company.” 

Welch nodded approvingly. “That’s the mindset of a real businessman! Some people think finance is the top of the business world. To me, that’s a joke. Guys like Soros wreak havoc on half the globe, and it’s people like us—company builders—who have to clean up the mess.” 

Dunn, keeping it humble, said, “I’m just a small-time director. I can handle my little corner of Hollywood, but saving the world economy? That’s way above my pay grade. That’s a job for a powerhouse like GE, under your leadership.” 

Welch chuckled, then shook his head. “I’m old. Don’t have the energy anymore.” 

Dunn wasn’t having it. “Mr. Welch, you’re too modest. Mr. Redstone’s 78 and still running Viacom like an empire. Compared to him, you’re practically a kid!” 

Welch gave Dunn a long look, a slight smirk tugging at his lips. He lowered his voice and said, “Do you really think Viacom’s future is as bright as it seems? Business models don’t bend. Great companies need sharp leaders, and people have to accept when it’s time to step back.” 

Dunn froze, caught off guard. 

It wasn’t Welch’s take on Viacom’s future that threw him—it was that he’d said it at all. This was sensitive stuff. Why spill it? 

And earlier, Conrad Black from Hollinger International had been just as blunt, throwing around comments with no filter. 

“Aren’t they worried I’ll blab? Even if it doesn’t shake up their companies, it’s gotta mess with their personal relationships, right?” 

A big question mark popped into Dunn’s head. 

Welch didn’t give him time to dwell on it. With a small smile, he waved it off. “I’ve stepped down as GE’s chairman and CEO. I’m just a board member now, taking a back seat.” 

“What?”  

Dunn and Tosca gasped at the same time. 

Jack Welch was only 66! Sure, that’s not young, but he still had the chops to run GE. Look at Redstone and Murdoch—78 and over 80, and neither of them would let go of the reins! 

Welch stepping back like that? It was admirable, but also kind of a shame. 

“GE without you? That’s a loss for the country—heck, the global economy. It’s as bad as this financial crisis,” Dunn said, laying on the flattery. 

Welch shook his head. “Young man, here’s a tip: when you’re with the best, just be honest. Business isn’t politics. We’re all smart enough to see through the fluff.” 

Dunn grinned. “This isn’t business talk—it’s just a chat. Keeping things light and fun matters too, right?” 

Welch paused, then burst out laughing. He pointed at Dunn, like he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words. Shaking his head, he sighed, “I’m getting old. Can’t keep up with you young folks’ thinking anymore.” 

Dunn, with a knowing look, said, “And yet News Corp and Viacom are still in the hands of two even older guys.” 

Welch’s face shifted. He stared at Dunn, his cloudy eyes sharp, like he could see right through him. After a long pause, he said quietly, “The old guard fought their way up through storms you youngsters can’t even imagine. Don’t underestimate them.” 

Their conversation seemed casual, but Tosca, standing nearby, was sweating bullets. This was Redstone’s birthday party! Was this really the place for this kind of talk? 

She quickly stepped in. “Mr. Welch, Dunn’s a huge fan of yours. Since you’re retired now, how about this? Maybe you could spare some time, and we could visit you to pick your brain?” 

Some things were better discussed in private, not here. 

Dunn might be a rising star and a mega-rich guy, but next to Jack Welch, he was a rookie—especially when it came to running a company. 

If Dunn could get guidance from someone like Welch, Dunn Films’ management and strategy would be unstoppable. 

Dunn nodded, agreeing with Tosca, and introduced her. “This is my assistant, the VP of Dunn Films.” 

Welch gave her an appreciative look. “When I was 33, I was running a big division at GE. But you—you’re even younger and already doing big things.” 

Before Tosca could respond, he switched gears. “I’m not fully retired. I’ve got plans to start a business forum at MIT’s Sloan School, open to entrepreneurs worldwide.” 

Dunn jumped in. “I’m signing up first!” 

Welch laughed and shook his head. “You’re a director. You’ve got a movie to shoot every year, plus a company to run. You got time for that?” 

“Well…” 

“Look, if this was just about signing up, I wouldn’t have come over to talk.” 

“Oh?”  

Dunn’s eyes lit up. Could Jack Welch actually need something from him? That’d be a real honor. 

Welch continued, “Last year, I started thinking about stepping back. Around that time, you were making waves across the country—controversial, sure, but a big deal. I had an agency pull some info on your company. Let’s just say… I got curious.” 

Dunn’s heart skipped a beat. 

Was there something wrong with how Dunn Films was run? 

With Welch’s experience and razor-sharp insight, if he saw a problem, there was definitely a problem. 

“Don’t worry,” Welch said, easing Dunn’s nerves. “From what I’ve seen, Dunn Films is solid. No major red flags. And letting go of the small stuff to focus on the big picture? That’s how a good leader thinks.” 

Dunn let out a quiet sigh of relief and smiled. “I’m still young. I’m bound to miss things when it comes to running a company. I could use advice from someone like you.” 

Welch shook his head. “That’s not what I meant. It’s not about your management—it’s about the way Dunn Films is structured. It shows something about you.” 

“What’s that?” 

Welch looked him dead in the eye and said one word: “Ambition.” 

Chapter 358: Box Office Comeback  

That night, Dunn didn’t get the chance to dive deep into management and strategy talks with Jack Welch about Dunn Films. The setting just wasn’t right.  

Thankfully, Jack Welch’s feedback was positive. He mentioned he’d be heading to Silicon Valley in a few days for a chip industry seminar and would swing by LA afterward. That’s when they could sit down for a proper chat.  

Dunn was really looking forward to that second meeting with Jack Welch.  

For now, though, his focus was on movies.  

Once Dunn and Universal Pictures shifted their marketing strategy for The Unsinking, it was like a seismic shake-up hit the film market.  

Pearl Harbor, which had been constantly compared to Titanic, saw its reputation take a nosedive!  

Dunn never said it outright, and Universal avoided mentioning it in their promos, but the undeniable truth was this: the movie tied to Titanic was The Unsinking, not the loudly hyped Pearl Harbor!  

This left moviegoers feeling duped.  

Pearl Harbor had zero connection to Titanic—so why had Disney dared to market it that way?  

Wasn’t it just a trick to fool fans into buying tickets?  

If Dunn hadn’t done that one interview, the whole country might still be in the dark!  

Critics had already been tearing Pearl Harbor apart, and now with this “fraud scandal” piling on, its reputation tanked even harder—like a landslide with no end in sight.  

Disney issued multiple statements, and Michael Bay went public, swearing he’d never meant to deceive anyone. But that kind of damage-control PR? It was useless at this point.  

Pearl Harbor’s box office outlook took a sharp turn for the worse.  

Meanwhile, The Unsinking, which had been flying under the radar with a steady, low-key approach, suddenly rode the wave of being “the second Titanic” and became the hottest topic in America!  

Produced by Dunn Walker and directed by James Cameron—a dream team!  

These two had created the Titanic miracle together. Now, four years later, they were back with The Unsinking. How could it not be amazing?  

On top of that, The Unsinking championed an upbeat, all-American heroism vibe. It showcased the bravery of Coast Guard rescuers and the greatness of human spirit in life-or-death moments.  

It was a disaster flick, sure—but also an optimistic, inspiring story!  

The past couple of years had been rough, with the Nasdaq bubble bursting and the U.S. economy sliding. The Bush administration had rolled out big tax cuts, and right now, the country needed everyone to come together to push through this economic mess.  

The Unsinking was the perfect morale boost for the nation!  

Heavyweight outlets like The New York Times, Time Magazine, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, and The Wall Street Journal—the biggest names in American media—all ran stories on the latest film, The Unsinking.  

Even at Wednesday’s presidential press conference, when answering a question about tax reform, President Bush quoted Charlize Theron’s rallying cry to the crew in The Unsinking: “In tough times, we might not always make the perfect choice, but we’ve got to show the strongest resolve!”  

So, with Disney’s “second Titanic” marketing push, Dunn’s personal charisma, Universal’s promotional muscle, the president’s endorsement, and a flood of media coverage, James Cameron’s new film The Unsinking blew up!  

The second week of its release, The Unsinking hadn’t exactly started strong.  

Monday: $7.57 million. Tuesday: $4.67 million. Wednesday: $4.81 million.  

But then Thursday hit, and it was like a tiny spark meeting a gallon of gasoline—whoosh! A massive blaze erupted!  

Thursday alone, The Unsinking raked in $16.89 million!  

By the weekend, the momentum was scorching—reminiscent of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace from a couple years back or Spider-Man from last year. It was unstoppable!  

NBC’s Movie Watch segment ran another market survey, this time at 3:30 p.m.  

“Hello, sir, ma’am…”  

The show’s gorgeous host, Hannah, spotted some moviegoers leaving the theater and hurried over. After introducing herself and handing out a small gift, she got straight to it: “Did you just watch The Unsinking?”  

The tide had turned—The Unsinking was officially the hottest movie around.  

“Yeah, it was awesome! Great story, killer effects! A Walker-Cameron collab—it’s just good!”  

Hannah smiled. “If A is the top score, what would you give it?”  

“A, no question! The early marketing wasn’t great, so we saw Pearl Harbor last weekend. Big mistake.”  

The guy finished, and the woman jumped in, “But it’s all good now. Thing is, The Unsinking is so popular—this is just the afternoon, and we almost couldn’t get tickets!”  

“No way, really?”  

“For real! The ticket lines were insane! I’d bet tomorrow every screening of The Unsinking will be packed!”  

…  

That day—Friday—The Unsinking pulled in $26.58 million!  

Saturday, it hit a 79% daily attendance rate and scored $38.78 million, setting a new record for Hollywood’s highest single-day box office haul ever!  

Sunday, it kept the heat on with $32.43 million!  

The first week, The Unsinking had only managed $43.69 million in North America. But in its second week? A total comeback—$101.15 million, snagging the weekly box office crown with zero competition!  

Its North American total climbed to $166.84 million!  

Compare that to last week’s champ, Pearl Harbor. Its second-week numbers crashed hard: $13.42 million, $4.39 million, $3.28 million, $2.21 million, $5.47 million, $6.98 million, $4.67 million. A measly $40.42 million for the week.  

Two weeks in, it hadn’t even cracked $100 million—just $94.05 million!  

Both films were only 10 days into their runs, but the winner was crystal clear.  

Disney’s Pearl Harbor, with its $140 million budget and $70 million marketing spend, was a colossal flop!  

Sure, its theatrical run still had months to go, but analysts had already bumped up their projections again—for the worse. North American box office for Pearl Harbor? Now pegged at just $125 million!  

That meant, over the next six months, they figured it’d scrape together maybe $30 million more in the U.S.  

Brutal.  

And with those updated forecasts hitting the news, Disney took another blow.  

Thanks to the “fraud scandal” and Pearl Harbor’s dismal performance, Disney’s stock plummeted 7%, wiping out $3.1 billion in market value!  

…  

After months of waiting, Dunn finally got a call from Disney’s number-two guy, Roy Disney.  

He wanted to talk.