256-258

Chapter 256: The Bargaining Chip Named Anne 

Just as Dunn had expected, his speech caused a massive stir. When he bowed and stepped off the stage, nearly the entire room rose to their feet, showering him with enthusiastic applause. 

“You were amazing!” Natalie gave him a light hug as he came down, her praise genuine. 

Dunn smiled. “Thanks.” 

Natalie sighed. “If only it were real.” 

Dunn’s expression shifted slightly. After sitting down, he turned to her and said quietly, “Nat, you’ve got to understand—Hollywood’s almost a hundred years old. It’s a stubborn old beast. Changing its entrenched rules is a tall order.” 

Natalie nodded gently. “I know. But… like you said, it’s a new era. Hollywood’s oppression of women is just too much.” 

Dunn frowned. “Are you calling me out?” 

Natalie took his hand and shook her head. “No. In my eyes, you’re already pretty decent.” 

“Decent?” 

Dunn chuckled, amused. He knew himself well enough to realize he didn’t deserve such a noble label. 

Natalie bit her lip. “Dunn, you know what? I’ve heard a lot of stories. So many actresses have been… hurt by big shots. It’s criminal! But to keep their careers going, most of them just swallow it and stay quiet.” 

Dunn’s gaze sharpened. 

He didn’t need to name names—Harvey Weinstein was the poster child for that kind of scum! 

Compared to trash like that, Dunn’s little flaws were nothing worth mentioning. 

Plus, Dunn was young, handsome, loaded, and dripping with talent—a dream date for plenty of women. 

Rather than him exploiting actresses, it was more like actresses were trying to work him. 

Dunn squeezed her hand tightly, his voice soft but firm. “Honey, trust me. Even if I can’t flip Hollywood upside down, I’ll damn sure drag some fresh ideas into this creaky old town!” 

After the forum wrapped, a swarm of reporters rushed in, boxing Dunn and Natalie in. “Ms. Portman, are you a feminist warrior?” 

Natalie’s delicate brow furrowed slightly, but she smiled. “I’ll stand up for any woman’s rights whenever I can.” 

“Mr. Walker, this is a shock—are you really a feminist too?” 

The question had a teasing edge. Dunn kept his cool, replying evenly, “Not surprising at all. Freedom, democracy, fairness, equality—that’s what the new century’s all about. Gender shouldn’t change how we treat people. I’ve got a lot of female friends, and I want them to have more rights.” 

After a few more questions, Dunn and Natalie’s answers were airtight. Finally, one reporter couldn’t hold back. “Dunn, you slammed Disney hard in your speech. Are you using feminism as a weapon for revenge?” 

“Revenge? I’m not sure what you mean.” Dunn’s lips twitched into a faint smirk, his face calm. “Disney’s movies don’t even compare to Dunn Pictures’. I’m strong, they’re weak—what’s there to avenge?” 

Natalie chimed in with a smile, twisting the knife. “Sir, maybe you haven’t checked the box office lately? Heh, Dunn Pictures’ $5 million Memento just crushed Disney’s $21 million Coyote Ugly. Revenge doesn’t really fit here.” 

The reporter opened his mouth to push back, but Dunn cut him off, his tone firm. “Let me say it again: there’s no bad blood between Dunn Pictures and Disney. Stop stirring up rumors, media folks. Hollywood’s vibe is chill—Dunn Pictures and Disney are just competing normally in the market, nothing more!” 

“My speech did touch on some Disney products, sure, but I’m just calling it like I see it. Barbie’s warped figure? That’s gotta go—it’s outdated. If Disney wants their animation to take off again, they need a major overhaul in their princesses’ looks, style, and vibe. That said, Mulan was solid!” 

Natalie grinned and added, “Oh yeah, I love Mulan. That’s the kind of template Disney animation should chase.” 

Truth was, she’d never even seen it. 

Michael Eisner listened to his assistant’s report, his face dark and his mood sour. 

Dunn’s tactics had caught him off guard again. 

He’d turned a feminist forum into a counterstrike! 

With the new century kicking in, feminist vibes were already heating up. Dunn throwing fuel on that fire just made it blaze hotter. 

It was a total win-win! 

Feminism got a huge boost thanks to Dunn, and Dunn rode that wave to push his own agenda to the max. 

In just a few days, the “Disney Princess” toy line—previously a hot seller—started piling up unsold. 

Barbie got it even worse. Protests—“Anti-Barbie” marches—popped up in places like New York, Boston, and San Francisco! 

Mattel scrambled, holding an emergency press conference, promising to roll out “healthier” Barbie dolls that fit the market and feminist trends to calm everyone down. 

But even then, Dunn’s words—amped up by feminist media—dealt a blow to Barbie’s image like never before. 

Dunn’s move was brutal! 

It left no room to breathe! 

Thankfully, while Dunn had thrown some shade, he’d also tossed Mulan a bone, keeping Disney from catching too much flak. 

As the highest-grossing director ever and a billionaire filmmaker, Dunn’s influence was massive. If he’d gone after Disney as hard as he did Mattel, the feminist brigade might’ve come for them too—and the fallout would’ve been ugly. 

Disney wasn’t Mattel—Mattel’s market cap was peanuts! 

Disney’s was over $50 billion. If something this big hit them, losing a few billion overnight would be par for the course! 

A disaster like that could shake Michael Eisner’s throne! 

Only now did he fully grasp Dunn’s power! 

He wasn’t sure why Dunn had held back at the last second, sparing Disney the worst, but one thing was clear: this weird, hostile competition with Dunn Pictures had to end. 

Dunn had a legion of young fans behind him, and now the feminist alliance too—his clout was off the charts! 

Whatever the reason, Dunn hadn’t gone for the kill this time, and Eisner had to appreciate that. 

Call Dunn up? 

Eisner gave a bitter chuckle. Not exactly a fond memory. 

Then his assistant piped up—Mattel was begging for help, demanding Disney hit Dunn Pictures with the harshest sanctions! 

Eisner snorted, a cold laugh escaping. “Hollywood’s our turf—no outsiders get a say! Tell Mattel I’ve got it handled!” 

The assistant got it instantly, feeling a pang of pity for Mattel’s mess. 

That’s the life of a hired gun! 

But what shocked him more was the boss’s vibe—looked like he was ready to throw in the towel with Dunn completely. 

Sure enough, Eisner muttered to himself, “That Dunn kid… too damn stubborn…” 

The assistant’s eyes flicked, and he lowered his voice. “Boss, everyone knows Dunn’s got a thing for actresses.” 

Eisner glared at him. “You mocking Britney?” 

“No, Little Sweetie’s… uh, too out there. Plus, she’s just a singer. Dunn’s power’s still in movies—he can’t touch the music scene yet.” 

“Hmm?” 

Eisner’s eyes lit up, a lightbulb going off. 

That Dunn kid was sharp—kept his cards close! 

The assistant whispered, “Boss, back in April, Dunn got hit with an FBI probe. A few Hollywood folks came at him hard. One of them was a girl—Anne Hathaway.” 

“Anne Hathaway?” 

Eisner’s brow arched. He didn’t have a great impression of her. 

An actress publicly blasting a director? Bad precedent. 

He was an old-school Hollywood power broker. Even if he was at odds with Dunn, and even if Anne Hathaway had been speaking up for Disney, a low-tier actress challenging a top director wasn’t something he could stomach. 

The assistant didn’t overthink it, jumping in quick. “She was auditioning for The Princess Diaries back then and landed the lead. Now, that movie’s two days from shooting.” 

Eisner didn’t like Hathaway breaking the rules. After a moment’s thought, he said firmly, “That Dunn kid’s still out east filming?” 

The assistant replied, “Heard… he might be back. Michael Ovitz pulled in a huge haul from Wall Street—$300 million? $500 million? Tons of studios are scrambling to talk with Legendary Pictures. Dunn’s the mastermind behind it—he’s gotta be back for those negotiations.” 

Eisner sighed. Disney teaming up with Legendary Pictures on that portfolio investment deal? Dead in the water—at least for now. 

“Tell Anne… she’s got to go to Dunn herself and beg his forgiveness!” 

“She goes alone? That’s—” 

Eisner cut in, his commanding edge flaring. “Tell her—whatever it takes, she’s got to get Dunn to forgive her. There’s no room for saints in Hollywood! If she screws this up, notify The Princess Diaries crew—replace the lead!” 

Disney’s deep pockets didn’t sweat a little breach-of-contract payout for the Princess Diaries star. 

This was about sending a message! 

Back when Dunn laid out his terms—Disney had to lift the ban first, then explain and apologize—Eisner wasn’t about to grovel to some upstart. 

Anne Hathaway, the rule-breaker, was the perfect chip to play. 

On one hand, it’d teach her a lesson—authority in Hollywood isn’t to be messed with! 

On the other, it’d be Disney’s statement. Handing her over to Dunn? That was their explanation—and their apology. 

Chapter 257: Legendary Pictures 

After over a month of planning and negotiations, Legendary Pictures officially launched in Hollywood, backed by a coalition of forces. 

It was a day everyone had their eyes on! 

A landmark moment for Hollywood’s evolution! 

Legendary Pictures had six institutional shareholders, pooling a total investment of $3.6 billion. 

Dunn Capital kicked in $1 billion, making it the top shareholder with a 27.8% stake. 

Beyond that, Michael Ovitz had secured a sweet $1.4 billion priority loan from Merrill Lynch, with interest rates between 6% and 10%—a pretty good deal. 

All told, Legendary Pictures had $5 billion in cash on hand! 

The portfolio investment plan was set up so the production company took on the lion’s share of the funding, with the portfolio investors covering 10% to 40%. That way, the producer bore most of the risk and stayed motivated to deliver, while the portfolio side eased enough of the financial burden. 

Hollywood movies these days averaged around $30 million to make. A big studio churned out 15 to 20 films a year. 

That meant a major player’s annual production budget hovered between $500 million and $600 million. 

Not a huge number, really! 

Take Dunn Films this year alone— 

Unsinkable: $200 million. Mr. & Mrs. Smith: $100 million. The Chronicles of Narnia: $70 million. A Beautiful Mind: $40 million. The Grid: $50 million. 

Excluding TV investments, Dunn Films had already sunk $460 million into just five movies this year! 

And that’s not counting next spring’s slate—Pirate League series, Spider-Man sequels—big projects with budgets that’d scare most people silly! 

That’s where Dunn Films stood apart from Hollywood’s giants. 

It was Dunn’s private empire, and with his uncanny foresight, he could throw massive sums at blockbusters without blinking. 

No need for outside investors to spread the risk. 

Compare that to a titan like Disney—$140 million on Pearl Harbor had everyone from Michael Eisner to the janitor sweating bullets, glued to the project’s every move. 

Legendary Pictures’ $5 billion war chest, per Michael Ovitz, left $20 million for operating cash, with the remaining $4.8 billion earmarked for the portfolio plan. 

Dunn was all over this—not just as Legendary’s biggest shareholder, but because the “portfolio investment” model was his ticket to ruling Hollywood down the line! 

U.S. antitrust laws capped entertainment companies—music, movies, whatever—at a third of the market’s copyright share. 

In 2000, the U.S. released 374 films. If Dunn Films put out more than 125, it’d trip the antitrust wire! 

Sure, no company could pump out that many films right now. Even giants like Warner, Disney, or Paramount topped out at around 30 a year. 

But… what if? 

Dunn had been in Hollywood just four years and already carved out a huge chunk of turf, going toe-to-toe with Disney. 

Give it a few more years—who’s to say Dunn Films wouldn’t dominate? 

Teetering on the edge of antitrust limits, the portfolio model was the perfect weapon. 

Through Legendary, Dunn could dip into other studios’ projects without breaking a sweat. 

The more partners Legendary snagged, the wider his reach. 

If Legendary linked up with all six majors… 

He’d have a hand in over 95% of Hollywood’s movies! 

Even if Dunn Films had to scale back someday, he’d still be in on most productions—making him Hollywood’s undisputed king! 

Movies were Hollywood, after all. 

For now, it was all on paper. Legendary was just getting started, and step one was landing its first client. 

Dunn flew back from Boston to L.A. to hash it out with Michael Ovitz. 

Ovitz figured Legendary’s $5 billion total, with $4.8 billion usable, was solid but shouldn’t spread too thin across too many partners. 

Best bet? Two partners, two-year contracts, $1.2 billion per year per studio at a 20% stake. Nice and balanced. 

Dunn wanted as many partners as possible—pull all six majors onto his wagon, and his Hollywood throne would be untouchable. 

But $4.8 billion only went so far. Short-term deals jacked up Legendary’s risk, so they had to strike a sweet spot between partner count and payoff. 

Dunn nodded at Ovitz’s take. “Let’s lock in one major studio first. The second partner? We can take our time—see who offers the best deal!” 

Selfish? Sure. As long as Legendary’s second slot stayed open, studios hungry for cash would orbit him, kissing up nonstop. 

“Who’re you thinking for the first deal?” Ovitz shot him a sly grin. 

To Ovitz, snagging Wall Street money was the win. Done Deal! 

Sure, Dunn Capital dropped $1 billion, and Ovitz chipped in $80 million, but this was Hollywood! 

They held the reins here! 

Even if the portfolio plan tanked hard, Ovitz’s clout and savvy could easily cash out Dunn Capital and his own stake. Wall Street would eat the losses. 

Hollywood was full of tricks! 

Especially with outside investors—no mercy! 

Wall Street got off easy as fellow Americans. Wait till Asian or Middle Eastern cash rolled in… then it’d be open season! 

So Legendary’s smooth launch was a no-lose gig for Ovitz. He gave Dunn, his young partner, plenty of respect. 

Dunn smirked. “Lately… we’ve had a bunch of studios reaching out, right?” 

“No kidding!” Ovitz beamed with pride, channeling his old days running Hollywood. “Everyone but Disney’s been cozying up. You wouldn’t believe how many dinner invites I’ve gotten!” 

Dunn kicked back in Ovitz’s office, legs crossed, at ease. “Portfolio investing’s a fresh idea. Didn’t think those old dogs would bite so quick.” 

Ovitz waved a hand. “Psh, how many really get it? Money talks!” 

Dunn gave him a knowing look. “You’ve already got our first partner in mind, don’t you?” 

“Oh?” Ovitz blinked, playing coy. “No worries—I’ll back your call.” 

Dunn’s grin turned tricky. “Michael, don’t play dumb. You really think I can’t guess what you’re up to?” 

Ovitz froze, then burst out laughing. 

“Don’t let the six majors fool you—only one fits us right now,” Dunn said coolly. 

Ovitz nodded. “Yep. They’ve got to match Legendary’s investment potential and give Dunn Films solid backup.” 

He shot Dunn a deep look. “Funny thing—Warner Bros. has been having a rough go lately.” 

Dunn chuckled. “Hollywood used to scam everyone else, but now Time Warner got played by an internet company! Heard they might sell off Warner Publishing to plug the hole?” 

Ovitz said, “The AOL-Time Warner merger’s a disaster. AOL’s a lightweight internet outfit—if they’re unloading assets to cover losses, it’ll be Warner’s stuff. Maybe Publishing, maybe Music. Either way, Warner Bros. won’t see a dime from the parent company for years.” 

Dunn nodded happily, sipping his rich coffee with a satisfied sigh. “So, Warner’s our first partner!” 

“Exactly what I was thinking!” Ovitz chimed in, all praise. 

AOL-Time Warner’s merger had bled $40 billion, but a lean camel’s still bigger than a horse. Warner Bros. remained Hollywood’s top dog. 

Strength, legacy, influence—Warner had it all in spades. 

With Warner in Dunn Films’ corner, Disney’s next irrational attack wouldn’t mean scrambling like the past few months. 

Plus, since Dunn rolled out the portfolio plan and slapped Disney with a ban, Warner had shown real goodwill. 

When Disney came at Dunn Films, Warner didn’t kick them while they were down—they had their back. That’s loyalty. 

Any way you sliced it, Warner Bros. was Legendary’s no-brainer first client! 

“Alright then, Michael, set it up. Let’s sit down with Warner’s people and nail down the details.” 

Dunn stood, feeling the Hollywood ground beneath him grow thicker, firmer. 

Chapter 258: Penny’s Superhero 

Before 2000, Time Warner was a juggernaut. With a market cap topping $150 billion, it was the world’s biggest media conglomerate—worth more than Disney, Viacom, Comcast, and Vivendi combined! 

But then the internet wave hit, and it only got bigger. Time Warner’s shareholders, swayed by venture capital hype, merged with internet titan AOL. 

That move turned the media behemoth into a six-headed monster: AOL, radio, cable TV, publishing, film, and music. For a moment, it was unstoppable. 

Then the dot-com bubble burst, and AOL Time Warner started crumbling. 

By 2002, they’d racked up a staggering $100 billion in losses! 

To stop the bleeding, the joint company had to pivot hard. They sold off Warner Publishing Group, axed 6% of the magazine staff, and even dumped Warner Records—one of the world’s top three music labels. But the numbers still wouldn’t budge. 

By 2009, the shareholders had had enough. They bit the bullet and split from AOL, finally ditching the dead weight. Time Warner bounced back with hits like The Dark Knight and The Hangover, showing signs of reclaiming its glory. 

Then tragedy struck again—post-2010, the mobile internet wave rolled in! 

Google, Facebook, Twitter, even Netflix—these web giants became the new kings of info-spreading. Time Warner’s magazines like Fortune and Time still had clout, but they couldn’t touch the internet’s speed. 

To avoid getting left behind, Time Warner had to team up with another powerhouse. After turning down a $45 billion offer from Comcast, they finally sold to telecom giant AT&T in 2017 for $85.4 billion. 

Post-2000 Time Warner? A tear-jerking tale of woe. 

Dunn loved playing the savior. While other Hollywood bigwigs might kick Warner while it was down, he wouldn’t. 

A lean camel’s still bigger than a horse. No matter how rough Warner had it, it wasn’t in the same league as Columbia, Paramount, or Universal. 

Warner Bros. Pictures was hands-down the world’s top movie studio! 

They owned over 6,000 film copyrights! 

Even the ones they directly controlled topped 4,000—an insane number. 

Disney? Just over 300. Universal? Around 1,400. 

So Dunn stepping in to help Warner now was a no-brainer—maximum payoff for minimum effort. 

Barry Meyer, Warner’s vice chairman and COO, rolled out the red carpet, inviting Dunn and Michael Ovitz onto his private yacht for a family-style dinner. 

Dunn didn’t hold back, bringing along his date, Penelope Cruz. 

Penelope knew her role—she was Dunn’s arm candy. But she didn’t mind. Getting face time with a Hollywood titan like Barry Meyer at a gig this big? Worth every second. 

She might be young, but she’d been in the game long enough to get how it worked. 

Drop your pride in front of the big shots, and you’ll shine in front of the fans! 

Barry Meyer’s yacht was a beaut—over a decade old but still a stunner. By expert standards, anything over 24 meters is a superyacht. This one clocked in at over 50 meters, three stories tall, cutting an imposing figure on the water. 

Penelope stepped aboard and couldn’t help but gasp, hand over her mouth. “Wow, this boat’s incredible—it’s like the Titanic!” 

Dunn cracked up. “The Titanic? That was a monster—900 feet long!” (Nearly 300 meters.) 

“Oh, really?” Penelope’s lack of worldly know-how was showing, but she kept gushing. “Still, it’s gorgeous. Imagine throwing a party here—how amazing would that be?” 

Dunn rolled his eyes, amused. 

This Spanish girl was so unpolished—she didn’t even try to fake it. 

Barry Meyer and his wife came out to greet them. He hadn’t expected Dunn to be so brazen, bringing his fling to a formal thing like this. 

“Haha, Mr. Meyer, good to see you! Oh, this must be Mrs. Meyer? Your eyes remind me of my mom—so kind.” Dunn’s smooth talk flowed effortlessly. 

Mrs. Meyer beamed. “If only my son were as impressive as you. Oh, and this lovely girl is your girlfr—er, she’s stunning!” 

Dunn didn’t flinch, grinning as he introduced her. “This is Penelope Cruz, a Spanish actress.” 

Penelope stretched out a delicate hand, all respect. “Hello, Mr. Meyer. So nice to meet you, Mrs. Meyer.” 

Barry Meyer gave a small smile—good enough for a response. He couldn’t care less about this Hollywood starlet, no matter how drop-dead gorgeous she was. 

“Michael’s already here, right?” 

“Heh, yeah. We’ve hammered out some deal points—just waiting on your take.” 

Barry Meyer was more pumped about the portfolio investment plan than anyone. 

Right now, Warner Bros. chairman Terry Semel was on his way out to Yahoo, leaving Barry Meyer and Alan Horn as the top contenders to take over. 

Barry’s weak spot? He was the COO, not deep in the movie-making side. If he could nail this “portfolio investment” deal and shore up the film division’s foundation, it’d patch that hole. He’d be a shoo-in for chairman and CEO! 

That’s why Barry was so eager—pulling out all the stops, hosting Dunn and Ovitz on his yacht for a cozy family dinner. 

Dunn waved a hand, grinning. “Michael’s the chairman and CEO of Legendary Pictures. I trust him with the details!” 

Barry Meyer’s eyes sparked. 

He’d just had a great chat with Michael Ovitz—super smooth. Both sides wanted this deal, so it barely felt like negotiating. More like a friendly powwow where they locked in a bunch of terms. 

Barry had figured Ovitz would play good cop, Dunn bad cop. But Dunn? He was even more laid-back and generous than Ovitz! 

This could actually work! 

Even a seasoned pro like Barry Meyer couldn’t hide a flicker of excitement. 

“Dunn, don’t worry. If this deal goes through, Dunn Pictures will always have Warner’s protection!” Barry vowed, all confidence. 

Dunn smirked inwardly. 

Warner could barely save itself—big talk from a guy who might pull a muscle boasting like that! 

“That’d be awesome, heh. But… Mr. Meyer, I’ve got two little requests. Hope you can say yes to both.” Dunn kept it casual, but his tone was rock-solid. 

Barry glanced at him. “If I can, you’ve got it!” 

Dunn slung an arm around the beauty next to him, grinning. “Mr. Meyer, Penny’s been in Hollywood a few years now but hasn’t landed the right break. If we seal this portfolio deal, I’d love for her to star in two of the films—lead roles!” 

Penelope’s flawless face flushed with joy, her eyes shimmering, locked on Dunn. 

She’d thought Dunn brought her along just to look good on his arm. 

Guys love parading a hot date at big events, right? 

But here he was, name-dropping her in a major deal between Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros.! 

Shock and glee—this was unreal! 

She’d been seeing Dunn for over a month, and he hadn’t promised her a single role. She hadn’t complained, sticking by him with warmth and patience. Now, out of nowhere, this bombshell. 

Barry Meyer stayed cool. He knew Dunn’s rep—tons of flings, but the actresses he’d been linked with always sang his praises. This proved why. 

He led Dunn and Penelope toward the yacht’s second-floor dining room, with its killer view of the ocean. 

Hearing Dunn’s request, he paused, finally giving Penelope a proper once-over. 

She was rocking a sleek, low-cut black gown—sexy, sultry, oozing Iberian charm. Stunning, captivating—perfect for a trophy role. 

Barry smiled. “Ms. Cruz has got the goods. She’d make a great lead!” 

“Th-thank you! Thank you!” Penelope stammered, practically vibrating with excitement. 

Dunn gave her hand a sneaky little tease, keeping it chill. “Oh, and one of those leads? I’d love it to be in a big commercial flick.” 

Barry’s brow ticked up. After a brief pause, he nodded. “Done!” 

Penelope sucked in a breath, legs wobbling from the thrill. She clung to Dunn’s arm, practically melting into him. 

Dunn was unreal! 

A few words, and he’d landed her a lead in a big-budget blockbuster! 

Screw Spider-Man or Batman—right now, in Penelope’s world, Dunn was her superhero! 

Dunn nodded, pleased. “Mr. Meyer, thanks for being cool about it.” 

Barry locked eyes with him, dead serious. “Once the portfolio deal’s locked, Legendary Pictures will be Warner Bros.’ top investment partner. Even if we’re not making the films, you’ll have oversight and input—no question.” 

Another ironclad promise! 

Dunn nodded calmly, keeping his poker face. 

Looked like Barry Meyer was dead-set on clinching this thing. 

Perfect!