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Chapter 196: Will Moviegoers Break 100 Million Again? 

In the end, during Game 6 of the 2000 NBA Finals, the Los Angeles Lakers beat the visiting Indiana Pacers 116-111. After twelve long years, they claimed the championship title again—the 12th in Lakers history. 

“Shaq” O’Neal was a beast in those six Finals games, averaging 38 points, 16.7 rebounds, assists here and there, and 2.7 blocks per game. He dropped 40 points in three of those games, including an unreal performance in Game 2. Kobe got injured early, so Shaq carried the team solo with 40 points, 24 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocks—like something out of a superhero comic. Thanks to that jaw-dropping run, Shaq snagged Finals MVP. 

Watching Kobe and Shaq hug it out after the game, Dunn couldn’t help but feel a little nostalgic. Memories last forever, right? Natalie, though, stayed pretty chill. She couldn’t care less about basketball, but she loved the wild energy in the arena after the Lakers won. 

“Zen Master” Phil Jackson stood on the sidelines like a statue, cool as ever, exuding this quiet confidence while reporters snapped pics. Ron Harper crouched on the floor, hiding his face as he cried. Glen Rice draped himself in a Lakers cape, bouncing around like an excited kid. 

But the one who really caught her eye was Oscar-winner Jack Nicholson. The old man was as hyped as anyone out there. He stood courtside, busted out some awkward dance moves, and sent the Staples Center into a frenzy like never before.  

When the championship celebration hits, that’s when fans lose all sense of reason. 

Two stone-faced guys sitting quietly behind Dunn—his private security—warned him it was time to go. Things were about to get even crazier. Dunn grabbed Natalie’s hand and walked over to Jack Nicholson. “Sorry, my security team’s telling me I’ve got to head out.” 

“Huh? Oh, alright, see ya!” Jack was still riding the high of the win, but then it clicked—wait, this was Dunn Walker! He paused, a little slow on the uptake. “Oh, right—that movie you mentioned… who’s directing? You?” 

Dunn grinned. “I’m the producer. Tim Burton’s directing.” 

“Tim… oh, him! Yeah, we’ve worked together twice. He’s a great director with some wild ideas,” Jack said, tossing out a casual compliment. “Send a script to my agent later. If the role’s decent, I’ll give it a shot.”  

Then, without waiting for Dunn’s thrilled reaction, he turned back around, hugged the Lakers’ owner, and kept his cool—well, mostly. 

Meanwhile, Universal’s internal analysts faxed over their take. They weren’t too optimistic about Spider-Man’s long-term box office run compared to giants like Titanic or Star Wars: Episode I. Sure, it had raked in over $350 million in North America in under 20 days, but hitting $550 million? That’d be tough.  

With tickets at $5.40 a pop, Universal didn’t think Spider-Man could pull in over 100 million moviegoers. Its story didn’t have the depth of Titanic, and it lacked the cultural legacy of Star Wars. Relying on a small group of comic diehards and Dunn’s loyal fans to keep buying tickets just wasn’t enough firepower.  

At current prices, matching Titanic’s $600 million or The Phantom Menace’s $580 million in North America was a pipe dream. With the internet booming, TVs getting sharper, and shows getting better, Americans had more entertainment options than ever. Movie theaters weren’t the only game in town anymore. Unless some groundbreaking film came along—like Star Wars, E.T., or Titanic—getting 100 million people into seats was off the table. 

Dunn got where Universal was coming from. To drag folks away from their computers and TVs back to theaters, you’d need something new—big screens, 3D, Dolby surround sound. That combo of cutting-edge tech and a killer movie was the only way to recreate those old-school box office legends. 

But then Universal’s marketing team sent some good news. While Spider-Man might not break records in North America, its overseas haul could surprise everyone. The Phantom Menace leaned hard into American culture, which turned off some foreign markets, leaving its overseas take at $600 million. Spider-Man, though? Way more universal. 

The “Spider-Man” character was brand new to moviegoers everywhere—stateside and abroad—hitting everyone with the same fresh concept at the same time. No one overseas would feel left behind. Based on its steady overseas performance so far, topping Titanic’s $1.28 billion record might be a stretch, but beating The Phantom Menace’s $600 million? Totally doable. 

The original Spider-Man pulled in $820 million globally. Now, Dunn had cut the fluff, kept the good stuff, and made his own version. With James Cameron’s “mirror possession” vibe and the “world’s richest director” hype, adding a few hundred million more to the tally didn’t seem too crazy. 

Like Steven Spielberg said at a party once, these days, the name “Dunn Walker” alone was worth $500 million! 

Chapter 197: The Pirate League  

People who swallow their pride to make a buck usually come from the bottom rungs of society. Take Hollywood actresses, for example—sure, they look glamorous on the outside, but in front of the real power players, even someone like Marilyn Monroe had to bare it all.  

Of course, as actors grow—gaining fame and stacking cash—they start dipping their toes into producing. With money, reputation, and hard work, they slowly claw back their dignity, step by step.  

That’s just the second stage.  

Now, Dunn’s reached the third stage of his journey—he can use his reputation to make money!  

After churning out back-to-back films that raked in over a billion dollars globally, Dunn’s fame skyrocketed. But he was still stuck in that second stage.  

What really turned him into a figure everyone respected—or feared—was landing on the Forbes rich list and watching Fox and Disney stumble over themselves trying to keep up.  

When Dunn personally invited Tim Burton to direct The Curse of the Black Pearl, it was a classic case of cashing in on his clout. Burton didn’t say no.  

Then, Dunn made a trip to the Staples Center to meet Jack Nicholson face-to-face, hoping to convince the old man to take on the role of Captain Barbossa.  

It’s a supporting part—and a villain, no less!  

But just two days later, Dunn Films got word from Nicholson’s agent: Jack was in!  

Dunn might be young, but in Hollywood, he’s already carrying himself like a big shot.  

His reputation? Even a veteran like Jack Nicholson has to give it props!  

And that’s not all. Tim Burton’s director contract hasn’t even been hashed out yet, but this famously quirky, hard-to-control Hollywood oddball has already shown up at Dunn Films multiple times, swapping ideas with the writers about the movie.  

The next time Burton popped in, Dunn invited him to his office and grinned. “Tim, I’ve got good news—Jack Nicholson’s on board!”  

Tim Burton blinked, a little stunned. “For real?”  

“Of course!” Dunn paused, noticing something off. “Wait, you look surprised?”  

Burton gave an awkward chuckle. “Heh, it’s great if he’s playing Barbossa. But if he’d passed, there are still plenty of solid actors in Hollywood.”  

So he’d already had backups in mind!  

Dunn huffed. “Alright, fine. I’ve met your request—now the movie’s in your hands. Don’t mess it up!”  

Burton shook his head, looking a bit troubled. “Dunn, you’re dead-set on turning Pirate Captain into a huge series, right?”  

“Obviously!”  

Dunn shot him a puzzled look. “You’ve seen the outline—it’s a massive, fantastical pirate world with tons of potential. Let me put it this way: even if this movie flops at the box office, it won’t stop me from making sequels and expanding the series!”  

“Good to know.” Burton nodded, then mused slowly, “Dunn, I think… we need to take some time to fully flesh out this pirate world.”  

“Flesh out a whole pirate world?”  

A spark of surprise flashed in Dunn’s eyes.  

Hollywood’s churned out plenty of franchises, but so far, only Star Wars has built a complete, cohesive universe!  

Since blowing up across America in the ‘80s, Star Wars has spawned everything—cartoons, comics, TV shows, movies, fan works—you name it, all piecing together its world.  

Is Tim Burton trying to mimic the sci-fi sprawl of Star Wars with a fantastical pirate realm?  

Well, damn…  

That’s awesome!  

Burton nodded. “Exactly. The richer and more detailed the backstory, the clearer the framework, the more vivid the details—the more real and logical the movies will feel. I just got an offer from Twentieth Century Fox to reboot the Planet of the Apes series, but I turned it down. Remaking an old story’s nowhere near as exciting as creating a brand-new world.”  

Dunn clapped his hands. “Tim, congrats on making a brilliant call! Trust me, you’ll look back on this choice with pride someday!”  

Burton grinned at him. “So you’re on board?”  

“Building a pirate world?” Dunn laughed heartily. “Hell yeah, I’m in! I’ve told you, I’ve got big hopes for this series. The outline I gave you is just a small piece of what I see. If you want to craft the full pirate world first, then shoot the movie… let me share my vision.”  

Burton straightened up, all ears.  

Dunn cleared his throat and started slowly. “This is a 17th-century tale. For specifics—customs, costumes, daily life, sailing, military stuff—we can bring in historians, ocean experts, and cultural scholars as consultants.”  

“Here’s the big picture: there are nine major pirate lords ruling all the world’s oceans. Beyond the Caribbean pirates, you’ve got the South Sea pirates, Indian Ocean pirates, Black Sea pirates, Mediterranean pirates, Pacific pirates, Adriatic pirates, Atlantic pirates, and Caspian pirates.”  

“Pirates are a unique class—they’re the ocean’s overlords. The nine pirate lords interact with each other. Sure, they’re ruthless bastards, but they’ve got a code. To protect their shared interests at sea, they’ve formed a pirate league, banding together against every nation’s navy. To lead this league, they’ve chosen a figurehead—the ‘Pirate Emperor’!”  

Burton’s eyes lit up. “A pirate league? That’s brilliant! Honestly, I think the series should just be called The Pirate League. Pirate Captain feels too small-scale! It’s like how Star Wars has that grand ring to it—calling it Jedi Wars would’ve boxed in the whole universe.”  

“The Pirate League?”  

Dunn blinked, mulling it over for a moment but holding off on a snap decision. “That’s a solid idea. We can run it by the production team, marketing, and the writers.”  

Burton kept going. “Also, with nine pirate factions spread across different countries and seas, they’d need a unique way to communicate—something exclusive to pirates, unknown to outsiders. We could hire a linguist to create a pirate language.”  

Dunn’s face lit up with excitement, then furrowed. “A complex language could trip up viewers, though.”  

Burton thought it over. “True, but while the pirate world is huge, the movies should focus on English-speaking pirates—like the Caribbean or Atlantic ones. For pirates from different regions talking to each other, we could sprinkle in some pirate tongue to add a touch of mystery.”  

Dunn waved it off. “Let’s put that on hold for now. The first film’s a launchpad—it’ll just cover a slice of the Caribbean, nothing too sprawling. English works fine as the main language. It’s the 17th century, after all—Britain’s already on its way to being the biggest empire, with influence everywhere.”  

Language in movies is tricky. Too many tongues, and you risk confusing the audience.  

Especially North American viewers—they’ve never been big on subtitles.  

That day, Dunn and Burton talked for over two hours, hammering out the basic framework for the Pirate League world.  

Then Burton brought in three of his go-to writers—his trusted crew. Dunn Films chipped in six more from their production team. Nine writers total, each tasked with crafting the backstory for one of the pirate lords.  

The project group was led by Dunn Films’ chief market analyst, Andrew O’Hare, with Burton and Jonathan Nolan as creative advisors.  

Building the Pirate League world—from outline to drafts to revisions—would take at least three months.  

After that, Burton would adapt the Caribbean pirate chunk into the script for the first film.  

At this pace, the movie wouldn’t officially kick off until next spring.  

But Burton was clearly pumped—and he could wait.  

It’s a massive undertaking, dripping with fantasy and thrills. More importantly, if it works, it’s a legacy-defining win!  

Just like Star Wars!  

Even if the rights belong to Dunn Films, being part of crafting a whole new story from scratch is an honor for Burton.  

And even if he gets tired of pirates down the line and steps away, Dunn wouldn’t forget him when picking producers.  

The series’ name? After input from Bill Mechanic, Nina Jacobson, Jonathan Nolan, and Andrew O’Hare, it was locked in—The Pirate League!  

The first film’s title shifted to: The Pirate League: Curse of the Black Pearl.  

The old Pirate Captain label felt too narrow—hardly worthy of the millions Dunn Films was pouring into writers, historians, oceanographers, and other experts.  

Dunn couldn’t help but laugh, half-exasperated, half-amused.  

The original Pirates of the Caribbean had morphed into something unrecognizable in his hands.  

The Pirate League is undeniably a colossal world—so vast that language and cultural barriers mean not everything can fit into movies.  

If the series takes off, they might spin off TV shows to explore other regions’ pirates, or dive into prequels and side stories.  

The possibilities? Endless.  

“Man, I was aiming to build a Hasbro universe, but somehow I ended up with a Pirate League instead…”  

Sitting in his office, legs kicked up, Dunn let out a sigh. But beneath it, a smug grin crept across his face.  

His presence has shaken Hollywood to its core!  

These changes—all tied to one name: Dunn Walker!  

He’s not here to repeat the past—he’s carving out his own era! 

Chapter 198: The Mind of an Artist 

While Hollywood’s buzzing with energy and success, Wall Street’s still a mess—everyone’s on edge.  

The Nasdaq crash keeps spreading, and even the New York Stock Exchange is feeling the tremors. The dot-com bubble’s turning into a full-blown economic crisis. But right in the middle of this tech stock meltdown, one high-tech stock’s doing something weird—it’s bouncing back. 

For over two weeks, it’s been climbing against the odds, jumping from $9.9 to $13.8 a share! That’s nearly a 50% spike!  

And this stock? It’s Apple—the very company tons of investment firms and brokerages had written off. 

Ever since June 21, when they split the stock two-for-one, Apple’s share price has been on a tear, leaving a bunch of small-time investors stunned. Does splitting a stock really do that? Or is Steve Jobs working some kind of magic? 

Of course, anyone who really gets the stock market knows this isn’t normal. In a bull market, sure, it’d make sense. But in this bear market? A computer company like Apple—one that big investment firms don’t even believe in—pulling off a rally during a crash?  

No way.  

This kind of oddball surge has to mean some investment group’s quietly scooping up shares behind the scenes. 

So, who’s the mystery player? 

On July 13, the answer dropped. The Federal Securities Commission, Nasdaq, and Apple all put out statements at practically the same time: over the past two weeks, Dunn Capital snapped up more than 20 million Apple shares on the secondary market.  

Now, Dunn Capital owns 5.06% of Apple’s total shares—a huge chunk!  

Apple’s history is a wild ride. It’s been ditched by investors time and again, and the early big players sold off their stakes long ago. These days, Apple doesn’t have any major shareholders—over 80% of its stock is held by small retail investors. Before this, the biggest shareholder was the National Pension Fund, with just 3% of the company. Even Steve Jobs—founder, chairman, and CEO—only holds 6 million shares, less than 2% of the total. 

Then Dunn Capital swoops in out of nowhere and bam—they’re Apple’s biggest shareholder overnight!  

And everyone knows who’s behind Dunn Capital: Dunn himself. 

Right now, Dunn’s a household name in America—his fame’s up there with President Clinton’s. Every move he makes gets watched like a hawk by the media. Especially since, two months ago, Wall Street crowned him the “Stock God of the New Century”! 

So what’s the deal with this sudden move? Is there more to it?  

If even the Stock God’s betting on Apple, shouldn’t investors be piling in too? 

Apple’s thrilled, and the stock exchange is scrambling to figure it out!