Nina Jacobson totally got why this was happening—she couldn't help but let out a wry smile. She really didn't know what to do with her young boss. Dunn was great in so many ways, but man, his temper was something else—too stubborn, too fiery!
We're talking Disney here. Swallowing your pride and backing off wouldn't kill you, right? Did it really have to get this messy?
"Disney wants me to step up and clear things up for Bruce Willis, or they'll 'teach me a lesson,'" Dunn said, a smirk tugging at his lips as a cold glint flashed across his face. "Even the Golden Club got convicted. You think a guy like Bruce Willis can just walk away clean?"
David Hayman's jaw practically hit the floor. He knew Dunn and Bruce Willis didn't get along, but Disney being the big bad behind it? That was a shocker.
"So, what do you want me to do?" Nina sighed, resigned.
Dunn raised an eyebrow. "What do you think of M. Night Shyamalan?"
Nina frowned, puzzled. "He's solid. Born in India, raised in the U.S., graduated from NYU's film school. Guy's got talent as a director."
"I recall you saying if it weren't for you, *The Sixth Sense* wouldn't have happened?" Dunn prodded.
"Yeah, that's true," Nina nodded. "Before that, Miramax backed his flick *Wide Awake*. Total flop—barely scraped $200,000 at the box office, didn't even go overseas. They dropped him like a hot potato. When *The Sixth Sense* came up, tons of producers wouldn't touch him because of his track record. I vetted it, gave him the green light, and took the risk."
Before she could finish, it clicked. Her eyes widened, staring at Dunn in disbelief. "Wait… you're not thinking…"
"Why not?" Dunn grinned mischievously. "Disney wants to flex on me? Sitting back and taking it isn't my style."
"No, Dunn, you can't!" Nina's brows furrowed, her tone sharp. "Disney's live-action films have been tanking for years. They finally found a director who can rake in big bucks—they're not letting him go without a fight."
Dunn knew how much Disney valued M. Night Shyamalan. Historically, Nina had spotted his potential and built a solid working relationship with him. That lasted until 2006's *Lady in the Water*. She thought it'd flop and refused to fund it. Shyamalan took it to Warner Bros instead, and Disney was so pissed they fired Nina—then head of production and chair of Buena Vista—on the spot.
Dunn loved Shyamalan's suspense thrillers—they were a blast to watch—but the guy couldn't handle big-budget A-list projects. Every time he tried, it crashed and burned.
"I get where you're coming from," Dunn said firmly, "but I'm not the type to just eat dirt and smile. Disney's crossing a line here. Warner Bros at least keeps it subtle—knives hidden behind friendly grins. Even Tom Rothman's stabbed me in the back plenty, but he'll still shake my hand and play nice. I can deal with that. We trade shady moves and call it a day. But Disney? This is a straight-up slap in the face."
Nina frowned. "Dunn, maybe it's just a bluff. Think about it—you're not some newbie anymore. You've got serious clout in Hollywood now. Even Disney can't just 'teach you a lesson' without consequences."
David, listening to this back-and-forth, was sweating bullets. He couldn't believe this young hotshot was picking a fight with Disney—and planning to trip them up behind the scenes. He nodded fast. "Yeah, yeah, Nina's right! Disney might just be talking big. With your pull these days, they'd have to think twice."
Dunn waved it off casually. "Real or not, Disney throwing that threat out there is a direct hit to my rep. I'm not here to chase fame—I've got more of that than Mel Gibson. Status? I'm not Spielberg, sure, but I'm up there with the top directors. Money? Please, the movie market's peanuts—I'm not impressed."
He narrowed his eyes, turning to the window and gazing out. "What I want is respect. You both know my story—grew up with nothing, no family, didn't even finish high school. Got kicked around and laughed at plenty. I'm done with that. I want respect—the kind that echoes through all of Hollywood."
Respect? Nina and David exchanged a glance, silently shaking their heads. In Hollywood, dignity's the last thing on anyone's mind. Even the biggest stars grovel for roles. Actresses? They're often stuck "dating" producers or directors—or worse—and just have to grin and bear it. A-listers might get a bit more say, but even then, it's limited. Hollywood runs on power, fame, cash, and connections. Dignity? What's that—something you can eat?
Dunn's take was a curveball, no doubt.
---
"My biggest dream is to land a solid punch on Disney!"
Nina gave a wry smile. "M. Night Shyamalan's a hotshot director Disney's got their eyes on. Snagging him won't be easy."
"Aren't you pretty tight with him, though?" Dunn pressed.
"Yeah, but that's not enough to flip his whole career plan," Nina said, shaking her head slowly. "Word is, Disney's tossing him another movie with double the budget of *The Sixth Sense*. When they're investing that much, no director's gonna think about jumping ship."
"Double the budget, huh?" Dunn's lips curled into a sly grin. "Nina, let's not rush this. His new flick's called *Unbreakable*, starring Bruce Willis. This time… he's not gonna get the same lucky break he did with *The Sixth Sense*."
"You mean…?"
"I'm saying *Unbreakable* might not tank completely—riding off *The Sixth Sense*'s hype—but making a big profit? No way in hell!"
Nina Jacobson blinked, mulling it over for a long moment. "If that's the case, we might actually have a shot."
Dunn let out a hearty laugh. "Nina, then I'll be waiting for your good news! Next movie, I want Dunn Films teaming up with director M. Night Shyamalan!"
…
The 45-second trailer was ready—Dunn's assistant director, Abel Smith, had put together a rough cut for him to review.
"It's too tame. Scrap the spider bite and the ring fight scenes. Throw in the Times Square explosion and the Manhattan Bridge rescue instead. This is a trailer—we need that big-budget blockbuster wow factor!"
Dunn watched it through, tossing out tweaks. "Oh, and that bit where Spider-Man comforts Mary Jane and hands her the book? Add it in—five or six seconds tops. Make sure *Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone* gets a clear shot on screen!"
The Super Bowl's the highest-rated show in the U.S., blowing past the Oscars and Grammys in viewership.
Dunn was dead-set on launching the *Harry Potter* movie series, and it was time to start hyping it up—get those books flying off the shelves!
"But the Times Square scene isn't done—the effects aren't fully synced yet. The shots don't flow together," Abel pointed out.
That sequence had two parts: one filmed on location in Times Square, the other shot on a factory set. Post-production CGI was supposed to stitch it all together seamlessly.
Dunn raised an eyebrow. "Then just use the intense explosion chunk—no wide shots. This is a trailer—make it *ignite*!"
After sorting out some work stuff, Dunn swung by the break room and found Nicole Kidman eyeing him with a spark in her gaze. "Hey, Dunn, what do you think about me hitting the Cannes red carpet?"
"Cannes?" Dunn blinked, caught off guard.
Nicole chuckled lightly. "It's for *Girl, Interrupted*. Sam's thinking of submitting it to the Cannes Film Festival and asked if I'd show up. Well, mostly he's asking you."
"Why doesn't that Sam Mendes just talk to me directly?" Dunn shook his head with a laugh. "Cannes sounds great, though. Bring Nat along too. Nicole, you've got the experience—look out for her over there. Her French is solid; she might even play translator for you."
"Got it. I'll keep an eye on your little girlfriend," Nicole teased, rolling her eyes. Her face lit up with excitement, like she was already picturing herself snagging that Cannes Best Actress crown.
---