190-192

*Chapter 190: The Female Oil Worker*

In The Finest Hours, the male lead’s girlfriend, Miriam, is the female lead, but she’s more of a decorative role with limited screen time. On the other hand, the second female lead, Rachel, shines with far more personality and charm.

Rachel is a female oil worker on the tanker. When the storm hits, she steps up, assisting the acting captain, Ray Sybert, in leading the crew through a series of self-rescue efforts.

She’s tough, brave, calm, and composed—a woman whose steady performance in a crisis is every bit as impressive as any man’s. Supporting Ray Sybert with coordination and leadership, she proves she’s just as capable as anyone else.

This feminist character aligns perfectly with today’s mainstream values, adding depth and layers to Rachel’s role.

Compared to the ornamental female lead, the second female lead is the film’s biggest highlight for female characters.

A role like this can’t be played by someone too delicate or overly glamorous. More importantly, the actress has to be willing to look unglamorous and endure hardship.

Enduring hardship is a basic requirement for Hollywood actresses, but looking unglamorous? That’s a tough sell for most who rely on their beauty to play decorative roles.

Unless you’re someone like Nicole Kidman, with unshakable confidence, exceptional charisma, and acting chops to match, you’d be willing to embrace an unglamorous role, like she did in The Hours.

Now, Nicole Kidman had moved out of Dunn’s home. Fortunately, he’d found a new companion—Charlize Theron.

That evening, Dunn continued his unabashedly indulgent lifestyle, entwined with Charlize Theron and Sophie Marceau. From the sofa to the dining table, from the corner to the windowsill, the three of them went at it for over an hour before finally settling down, lying side by side on the soft bed, basking in the afterglow.

Sophie Marceau murmured in admiration, “Dunn, you’re incredible. You’re the most impressive man I’ve ever met!”

Charlize Theron chimed in with a compliment, “Yeah, just now… I was practically floating.”

Dunn wrapped an arm around each of them, pulling the two beauties close with a grin. “I still think that time with Adriana Lima and Alessandra Ambrosio was the most thrilling!”

Charlize Theron giggled. “I’m game for that, no problem. But… you might have to deal with Miss Portman throwing a fit again.”

Dunn’s expression stiffened slightly.

Noticing his discomfort, Sophie Marceau quickly changed the subject. “By the way, I heard… Mel was at the audition for The Finest Hours this afternoon?”

Charlize Theron’s eyes lit up. “The Finest Hours? Cameron’s new film?”

“Yeah, you didn’t see the papers?”

“I… did.”

Charlize Theron’s face suddenly fell.

She was already a second-tier actress in Hollywood, having starred in several commercial films, all as decorative roles. She was desperate for a breakout to reach A-list status, which was why she’d gotten close to Dunn.

Sure, The Finest Hours was a commercial film, but with James Cameron directing, it was far from ordinary. Even playing a decorative role in this movie could catapult her to A-list status.

But Dunn hadn’t even mentioned the film to her, which left her feeling a bit disappointed.

Oblivious to Charlize’s expression, Dunn sighed. “Yeah, Mel… he passed the audition.”

“What?” Sophie Marceau gasped, sitting up and revealing her stunning figure to Dunn. She looked at him in surprise. “You mean Mel’s going to film The Finest Hours on top of Braveheart?”

Dunn gave a wry smile. “Exactly. You don’t know how hard I tried to talk him out of it this afternoon, but that guy’s stubborn as a mule. He insisted on joining, even offering to take a pay cut.”

In Braveheart, Mel Gibson’s salary was $25 million. On top of starring as the lead, he was also a producer with some casting influence.

In The Finest Hours, Mel Gibson was the second male lead, not a producer, and his salary? A mere $15 million—still the highest in the cast!

Director James Cameron’s salary was only $10 million.

Of course, Cameron had a bigger additional contract, earning him 10% of the film’s global box office.

This was the fifth-largest contract in Hollywood history for producers, directors, and actors!

The top spot went to Steven Spielberg for Jurassic Park, with a $20 million salary plus a 20% global box office share—the ultimate deal.

Tied for second were Mel Gibson in Braveheart and Kevin Costner in Dances with Wolves, both securing “20/20” deals—$20 million plus 20% of the box office—though they took on more roles as self-producing, directing, and acting.

Third was Dunn Walker, director of Titanic, with a massive $15 million plus 15% box office share.

Fourth was Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible, who, as producer and star, landed $20 million plus 10% of the global box office.

Star Wars director George Lucas didn’t make the list, as he negotiated for higher merchandise profits with distributor 20th Century Fox, forgoing a $20 million salary.

Sophie Marceau said softly, “Mel’s a big star. He should be able to handle it…”

“Let’s hope so.” Dunn sighed, noticing Charlize Theron, who was leaning against him, seemed a bit distracted. He chuckled. “There’s a role in The Finest Hours for a female oil worker. It requires looking unglamorous. Interested?”

“Huh? Me?”

Like Sophie, Charlize sat up abruptly.

Dunn smiled. “Of course. Didn’t you say you’re tired of playing decorative roles? This one’s perfect. It’s the second female lead, but the part’s substantial—way more compelling than the female lead.”

“I’m in! Of course, I’m in!”

Charlize threw herself into Dunn’s arms, thrilled. She’d faced so much public scrutiny to get close to Dunn—wasn’t this the moment she’d been waiting for?

The second female lead, not a decorative role, in a $200 million blockbuster produced by Dunn and directed by James Cameron!

Dunn patted her back gently. “You’ve got my recommendation, but James has to approve. His opinion matters, got it?”

Charlize took a deep breath, looking determined. “I understand. I’ll make sure he’s impressed.”

Dunn gritted his teeth, glaring at her. “What are you thinking? James is a straight arrow!”

“Huh?”

Charlize blinked in confusion.

Sophie Marceau burst out laughing, shaking with amusement. “Even if you’re willing, Dunn wouldn’t be. Right? You’re his girl now, and when it comes to this, Dunn’s pretty possessive.”

Dunn declared firmly, “Damn right. That’s my line in the sand!”

---

The next day, auditions continued.

The moment James Cameron saw Dunn, he frowned and shouted, “Dunn, you promised me you’d recommend a solid second female lead!”

Before he could finish, he noticed a rugged, sturdy woman trailing behind Dunn—a female oil worker.

She wore a slightly grimy blue uniform, her hair greasy as if it hadn’t been washed in a week. Her skin looked weathered and rough from long hours in the sun and wind. Stepping into the room, she had the air of an unpolished, working-class woman, curiously glancing around with little regard for manners.

Worse, she reeked of pungent diesel fuel.

“Here she is!” Dunn grinned, gesturing to her.

The female oil worker snapped to attention, flashing a toothy smile. “You’re Director Cameron? When’s Terminator 4 coming out? I’d love to catch it!”

“Sorry, I won’t be directing a fourth one,” Cameron shot back curtly before grabbing Dunn and heading toward the break room.

“What’s up? No audition?” Dunn asked, barely hiding his amusement as he played dumb.

Cameron’s eyes blazed. “Dunn, is that woman a relative of yours? No offense, but even if you’re the investor, you can’t just do whatever you want with my film!”

“What’s the problem?”

Cameron fumed. “What’s the problem? I asked you to recommend a second female lead, and you bring me an actual oil worker? Are you messing with me? Trying to sabotage this movie?”

Dunn, caught off guard by Cameron’s intense reaction, coughed heavily. “James, I think… you’ve got the wrong idea.”

“Wrong idea? Hmph, you better hope so!” Known as a set tyrant, Cameron didn’t mince words, not even for Dunn. “Take that woman and leave. I need an actress, not some blue-collar worker you dragged out of an oil rig!”

Just then, a clear, pleasant voice came from outside, melodic and bright. “Mr. Cameron, may I come in?”

Cameron froze.

This was the break room, adjacent to the audition space.

And in the audition space…

The only person there had been the female oil worker.

But that voice…

Cameron’s eyes widened as he stared at Dunn, as if he’d seen a ghost.

Dunn burst out laughing, delighted by Cameron’s stunned expression. “Come on in!” he called out.

The sharp scent of diesel filled the air again.

“I’m so sorry, Mr. Cameron. I’m Charlize Theron, an actress. That was… my first audition. If you’re not satisfied, I’m happy to do a second round.”

Charlize Theron…

Cameron had heard the name. He knew she was a model-turned-actress, a stunning blonde with long legs, and… tangled up with Dunn.

But he never would’ve guessed that the gritty oil worker in front of him was the glamorous Charlize Theron!

What a shock!

*Chapter 191: The Ultimate Strategy*

Spider-Man entered its second week, still the sole focus of the market. Despite a slight drop in screen share, it averaged an impressive 67%. The number of theaters showing Spider-Man increased by 139, from 3,549 to 3,688.

What does this mean?

In the U.S., theater chains are meticulously categorized by film type. A movie like Spider-Man, which had already ignited nationwide excitement before its release, was guaranteed to play in every commercial theater. Yet, in its second week, the addition of 139 more theaters—those typically reserved for horror, arthouse, animated, or classic films—proved one thing: Spider-Man was the market itself, synonymous with money.

Nobody says no to money!

Even on weekdays, fans’ enthusiasm for Spider-Man didn’t waver. Monday brought in $19.78 million; Tuesday, $13.89 million; Wednesday, $12.91 million; Thursday, $10.42 million; and Friday, a whopping $28.7 million. Over five weekdays, Spider-Man raked in $85.7 million in North America.

The numbers spoke for themselves, and Hollywood took notice. Following Titanic and Star Wars: Episode I, Spider-Man was poised to become the third film to break $100 million in its second week. The Hollywood Reader praised director Dunn Walker’s brilliance: “While other Hollywood directors obsess over the near-impossible goal of a $100 million opening weekend, young director Dunn Walker has surpassed his peers, carving his own path. A $100 million opening is no longer a challenge for him—he’s aiming higher, exploring feats like a $100 million second week! This isn’t empty talk. As the weekend approaches, let’s wait and see.”

Sure enough, Saturday stunned Hollywood and North America alike. Spider-Man broke its own single-day box office record from the previous week’s $37.98 million, hitting $38.06 million. A reverse drop in ticket sales—common for arthouse films but nearly unheard of for blockbusters—hadn’t been seen since Titanic three years ago.

A second weekend outperforming the first? Dunn Walker’s film once again redefined Hollywood’s understanding of success. Fueled by his Forbes billionaire status, director Dunn Walker’s popularity and draw only grew.

On Sunday, Spider-Man continued its dominance, earning $31.24 million. The second week’s total? A staggering $155 million. Combined with the $117 million from the opening weekend, Spider-Man grossed $272 million in North America after just 10 days, securing the top spot on the annual box office chart.

Before this, Mission: Impossible 2 had been pushing toward $200 million. But under Spider-Man’s market dominance, its screen share dropped to a mere 1%, making that goal a tough climb. Rumors swirled that Tom Cruise, the film’s star and producer, might dip into his own pocket to ensure Mission: Impossible 2 crossed $200 million, securing better terms with Paramount for the third installment. Still, Paramount was thrilled with the results and even invited Dunn to the Mission: Impossible 2 celebration party via a personal email from chairman Sherry Lansing. Choosing a late May release and avoiding a direct clash with Spider-Man was a stroke of luck for them.

Compare that to Disney and Fox, who weren’t so fortunate. Disney’s Gone in 60 Seconds held up decently, earning $16.8 million in its second week, pushing its North American total past $30 million. Analysts predicted it could exceed $50 million—far from its $90 million budget and $60 million marketing spend, but at least it showed some fight against Spider-Man’s dominance.

Fox’s unnamed film, however, was a disaster. Its opening week grossed a meager $3.5 million, followed by $2.9 million in the second week. Theater counts plummeted from 2,734 to 1,543, with projections suggesting fewer than 500 theaters would show it by week three. Industry estimates pegged its final North American gross at around $10 million—catastrophic against its $75 million budget and $20 million marketing costs. The fallout was severe, with Fox’s board questioning new chairman and CEO Tom Rothman. He deflected blame, noting the project was greenlit under predecessor Bill Mechanic and pinning the scheduling error on the distribution team.

Dunn hadn’t yet received second-week overseas box office data, but the outlook was promising. Spider-Man’s global total might surpass $500 million by the end of week two. In July, the film would hit more countries, including the lucrative Asian market.

Dunn got his hands on a poster from across the sea and couldn’t help but chuckle. Despite joining the WTO, special policies limited Hollywood’s box office share there to 25%, not the standard 41%, with distribution handled by China Film Group, who also designed the poster. It featured a striking image of Spider-Man swinging between New York skyscrapers, but what stood out was the bold text at the top: “5 Billion!” Below, in smaller print: “A blockbuster from 5-billion-director Dunn Walker!” Dunn shook his head. In that market, a 50-billion-yuan net worth likely made him the richest man—an enticing marketing hook, but perhaps a bit crass. While North America and Europe used his wealth for hype, plastering it on a poster felt excessive. Movies, after all, were art at their core—though for Dunn, they were also his bread and butter.

Meanwhile, Mr. & Mrs. Smith had passed its final review, with the crew nearly assembled. Once sponsor negotiations wrapped, filming would begin in France. Cameron’s new film, Unsinkable, had locked in its cast: Matthew McConaughey, Mel Gibson, Charlize Theron, and Dunn’s “old friend” Liv Tyler. The production team included Dunn, Cameron, Grant Hill, Gibson, and Cameron’s partner Rae Sanchini, with a whopping 12 assistant directors. Spider-Man’s early word-of-mouth marketing was complete, freeing Dunn to tackle his next big move: taking on Disney.

Disney, the world’s sixth-largest media conglomerate, trailed only Warner, Viacom, Vivendi, News Corp, and Comcast. While Dunn’s studio triumphed in the summer box office, this was just one facet of the industry. Competing with Disney across all fronts was a daunting gap. Over the past two months, Dunn’s three attempts to challenge Disney had failed:

1. He tried to invest in Nickelodeon to partner with Viacom, combining Dunn’s content with their platform to rival Disney Channel. Viacom’s arrogance and hesitation killed the deal.

2. He aimed to bolster his animation division to compete with Disney’s animation powerhouse but failed to recruit Chris Meledandri, acquire DreamWorks Animation, or make inroads with Pixar or Sony Animation.

3. He pursued the Barbie movie rights to counter Disney’s Princess franchise, but after two months of talks, Mattel partnered with Disney instead.

These setbacks taught Dunn that a titan like Disney, with its vast connections and strategies, couldn’t be toppled with a single blow. He needed a multidimensional approach. Despite losing ground in TV, animation, and IP rights, Dunn wasn’t discouraged. He had a trump card—an all-or-nothing strategy, a true masterstroke to bring Disney to its knees.

*Chapter 192: The Pirate Captain*

In recent years, Disney has made significant strides in live-action films. Beyond the golden duo of Jerry Bruckheimer and Michael Bay, M. Night Shyamalan, the Indian-American director behind The Sixth Sense, has also been a key figure.

Jerry Bruckheimer and Michael Bay? No need to elaborate—Dunn Walker isn’t about to let them off easy.

As for M. Night Shyamalan, Dunn had a plan early on. He had Nina Jacobson discreetly reach out to sever Shyamalan’s ties with Disney.

Whether it pans out or not, this was the right move.

Why does Disney boast a brand value exceeding $30 billion? It’s not the Disney Channel, not Disneyland, not Disney toys... it’s Disney movies!

Movies are the crown jewel of entertainment. Even if the film industry accounts for only a fifth of Disney’s total revenue, it remains the core of their empire.

This is why media giants like Time Warner, News Corporation, Viacom, and Vivendi are all diving into the film industry, snapping up major studios. It’s not just about profits—it’s about the ripple effect of influence that movies create.

TV channels? Dunn can’t outmaneuver Disney there. Animation? He’s still in the dark. Barbie dolls? Disney snatched those up too. It seems like all of Dunn’s strategies are powerless against the Disney juggernaut.

But Dunn is confident because he has one final ace up his sleeve—movies!

Live-action films are the heart of Dunn Pictures and his biggest weapon to shake up Hollywood.

And Dunn… he’s got foresight.

Sitting in his office, legs crossed, a sly smile crept across Dunn’s face.

Live-action films have always been Disney’s Achilles’ heel.

Sure, in later years, Disney dominated Hollywood’s film industry, but that was because they acquired Pixar, Marvel Studios, and Lucasfilm.

Now? Marvel Studios is Dunn’s company. Pixar belongs to Steve Jobs. As for Lucasfilm… Dunn’s on good terms with George Lucas. More importantly, Dunn took Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace to unprecedented heights!

When George Lucas stumbles with Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, American fans, steeped in Star Wars culture, will undoubtedly miss Dunn Walker. That’s his trump card!

Even if Lucasfilm is George Lucas’s private company, he won’t be able to withstand the pressure of public opinion across America.

So, Dunn’s mind is already spinning with strategies to target Disney’s film division.

Beyond Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm, Disney’s live-action films rely on one man: Jerry Bruckheimer.

Jerry Bruckheimer, Hollywood’s golden producer, single-handedly propped up Disney’s live-action market before their Marvel acquisition. National Treasure, Glory Road, Pirates of the Caribbean, Déjà Vu, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice... Bruckheimer was practically a one-man army for Disney’s live-action films.

It wasn’t until after 2010, when Bruckheimer’s box office pull weakened and The Lone Ranger flopped, that Disney ended their partnership with him.

Dunn’s next move is simple: snatch Disney’s biggest deal and leave them and Bruckheimer in the dust!

That’s Dunn’s foresight. No matter how powerful Disney is, they can’t predict the future, can they?

The biggest deal? Easy—Pirates of the Caribbean!

For the sake of the Coppola family and Nicolas Cage, Dunn might as well grab the National Treasure series while he’s at it.

Dunn didn’t rush to act. First, he had his assistant, George Paxton, do some digging.

“Disneyland’s Adventureland does have a pirate-themed area,” George reported. “It’s a ride built in 1967, kind of like a boat tour where you face pirate attacks and adventure on the water.”

The news soured Dunn’s mood. “Does this area… have a name?” he asked.

“Yeah, it’s called Pirates of the Caribbean.”

Dunn’s face darkened, and he nearly choked.

In the U.S., intellectual property protection is ironclad. Even if Disney hasn’t registered “Pirates of the Caribbean” with the Motion Picture Association, their decades-old pirate-themed ride carries enough clout that using the name for a movie would spark a copyright dispute.

Even if Dunn won the lawsuit, Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean ride would only gain more attention and visitors—exactly what Dunn wanted to avoid.

“Fine, let’s change the name,” Dunn sighed, waving his hand dismissively.

George Paxton, Dunn’s personal assistant who handles his personal affairs rather than company operations, added, “By the way, Dunn, that mansion at the top of the hill—you can move in by the end of the month.”

Dunn’s face lit up. “That soon?”

George grinned. “No major renovations, just some light touch-ups. Fifty days was plenty.”

…

Bill Mechanic stormed into Dunn’s office without knocking, his face grim. He slammed a script onto Dunn’s desk. “Dunn, this won’t do!”

Dunn glanced at him, surprised, then looked down at the script—The Pirate Captain: Curse of the Black Pearl. It was the one he’d sent to Bill that morning.

It had taken Dunn three full days, working with the writing team, to craft the story’s framework. The finer details still needed polishing, especially since the original Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl had its share of flaws and gaps.

“What’s wrong with it?” Dunn asked.

“No, it’s not that,” Bill said. “Spider-Man’s massive success proved you’ve got an unmatched eye for movie content.”

Dunn smirked, a bit smug. “Exactly. Trust me, Bill, The Pirate Captain series will be a critical and commercial hit for Dunn Pictures!”

Bill shook his head, frowning. “Dunn, I’m not questioning your creative vision. It’s your business strategy that’s got major issues.”

“Oh? How so?” Dunn looked at him, puzzled. “Is it a budget problem? I’ve told you, money’s not an issue—I’ll handle it.”

Three months ago, Dunn had injected $1 billion into Dunn Pictures through Dunn Capital. But the company’s expenses were massive: $170 million to acquire Tarz TV, $70 million for The Chronicles of Narnia, $50 million for Band of Brothers, $100 million for Mr. & Mrs. Smith, $20 million for Six Feet Under, $30 million for Sillywood Animation Studio, $200 million for Never Sinking…

With A Beautiful Mind and another mega-budget blockbuster on the horizon, Dunn Pictures was under serious financial strain.

Bill shook his head. “It’s not about money. Our investments are huge, but so are our revenues. The second payment for Wedding Crashers came in, and Mr. & Mrs. Smith has already pulled in $20 million in sponsorships. We’re still negotiating with Dior, Chanel, and others for at least another $5 million. The company’s got $4.7 billion in the bank—plenty.”

“Then what’s the problem?” Dunn asked.

Bill frowned. “Dunn, don’t you think we’re spreading ourselves too thin? Most Hollywood studios only bankroll two big films a year—one for summer, one for Christmas—plus smaller projects. It’s not just about managing risk; it’s about maximizing box office returns.”

Dunn got it. In 1999, North America’s total box office was $7.4 billion; in 1998, $6.9 billion; in 1997, $6.3 billion. The market’s size is finite—more movies don’t mean a bigger pie. Based on recent trends, this year’s box office wouldn’t top $8 billion.

Dunn smiled. “Bill, you’re overthinking it. Our big commercial films right now are just Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Never Sinking. The Chronicles of Narnia is co-financed with Warner, set for next year’s Christmas slot, so there’s no overlap.”

Bill nodded, catching on. “So you’re saying… The Pirate Captain: Curse of the Black Pearl won’t hit theaters next year?”

Dunn shrugged. “Even if I wanted it to, it’s not possible. Never Sinking is May, Mr. & Mrs. Smith is July. The Pirate Captain is a summer blockbuster—we’re not going to compete with ourselves, are we?”

Bill exhaled, relieved. That made sense. Otherwise, Universal wouldn’t be happy.

Next summer, Universal has The Mummy Returns and Jurassic Park III lined up, which will already compete with Dunn Pictures. Another Dunn blockbuster would spark internal conflict.

Dunn had already considered Bill’s concerns. His original plan was to release The Pirate Captain: Curse of the Black Pearl in the summer of 2002.

The original Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl was greenlit in July 2002, filmed starting in October, and released in the summer of 2003.

Dunn couldn’t wait to see the look on Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer’s faces when they excitedly start planning a pirate movie, only to find a similar-themed, equally creative pirate film already in theaters.