January 30, 2000—the NFL's 1999 season finale, the Super Bowl, kicked off in style at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.
It was the St. Louis Rams versus the Tennessee Titans.
The whole game was set to run over four hours—maybe even five. It's America's biggest party! During the breaks, ads flash up on the stadium's big screens, and ABC, with exclusive broadcast rights, slips in commercials too.
Any ad that makes it to the Super Bowl is a total cultural flex—packed with stars, creativity, depth, and storytelling. These aren't the kind of ads that make you flip the channel. They're pure entertainment!
Stats say 39% of Super Bowl viewers are there for the ads, while only 28% actually care about the game. Every year, at least 50 million Americans tune in just for the commercials.
There's a saying: "Classy folks watch the game; sharp ones watch the ads."
Dunn wasn't big on football—he was more into chatting with Bill Mechanic next to him, and the genius director Steven Soderbergh on the other side, all cozied up in the VIP box.
After some small talk, Bill Mechanic grinned. "Dunn, which team you rooting for?"
Dunn laughed it off. "I'm cheering for that little guy in the middle. His mask kinda looks like Spider-Man!" 🕷️
Bill cracked up, shaking his head. This kid—couldn't go three sentences without circling back to his own stuff!
"Dunn, Steven's got a movie project I'm really high on," Bill said.
"Oh?" Dunn shot him a curious, sidelong glance.
Bill's face flushed a bit as he came clean. "It was greenlit already, but when I got canned, it got shelved."
Dunn nodded and turned to Soderbergh. "Wanna fill me in?"
With Dunn and Bill deep in convo, Soderbergh—a big name but not quite on their level—knew better than to butt in. When Dunn asked, though, he jumped at the chance, laying out the basics of *Traffic*.
The roaring game on the field? Yeah, none of them cared much about that.
Dunn kept his cool, letting out a little sigh. "Bill, you know I'm slammed. Dunn Films cranked out three movies last year, and this year… we're looking at least five. I'm stretched thin!"
Bill Mechanic saw right through him and gave him a playful glare. "Cut the crap. What do you think of the project?"
Dunn chuckled wryly. "You dragged me to the Super Bowl, man. I've gotta give you that much!"
Soderbergh's eyes lit up, his face turning red with excitement. "Sir, you… you're in? You'll fund my movie?"
Dunn nodded with a smile. "Yup, I'm in."
No kidding—this was *Traffic*! The name alone rang bells!
Next year's Oscars, Soderbergh would snag Best Director for this one.
A movie like that? Even if it bombed at the box office, the video market would cover the costs easy.
Soderbergh still couldn't believe it. "Sir, we're talking over $50 million here!"
Bill waved him off, cutting in. "Relax, Steven. This guy's got an eye for winners. If he thought it'd tank, he wouldn't touch it!"
Dunn's face turned serious, and he shook his head firmly. "Bill, you're off base there."
"What, I'm wrong?" Bill smirked.
Dunn shrugged casually. "I do like the project, yeah, but that second part? Nah. You think I'd never back a movie I knew would lose money?"
"What about *Fight Club*?" Bill shot back.
"That's a five-star flick—destined for the history books. If I came across a project like that, I'd never say no!" Dunn's gaze was sharp, like he could see right through the world.
Bill stared at him hard. "That movie cost Fox at least $40 million in losses!"
Dunn's lip curled with a hint of disdain. "When I was starting out, I visited Francis Coppola. He taught me what it means to have integrity and grit as a filmmaker."
He tapped his chest. "Bill, sure, I'm a businessman too—I run a company, I chase profits. But at my core, I'm a director, a movie guy! In that way, I'm no different from Spielberg!"
Bill shook his head with a grin. "Dunn, DreamWorks isn't exactly killing it these days."
"That's 'cause they're missing a real heavyweight manager, right?" Dunn gave him a sly, knowing look.
Bill burst out laughing. "Hey, watch it! David Geffen's a pro, and Jeffrey Katzenberg's my old buddy—he's no slouch either."
"But I say they've got nothing on you!" Dunn kept nudging, subtle but firm.
Bill just smiled, not biting yet.
Soderbergh, sensing some deeper game between them he couldn't quite crack, jumped in to break the silence. "Oh, uh, *Traffic* was supposed to star Harrison Ford, but when Fox bailed, he lost faith too."
Dunn frowned. "So, new lead?"
Bill cut in. "Didn't I say Kevin Costner could do it?"
"I checked—he's booked," Soderbergh replied.
In front of these two heavy hitters, Soderbergh's vibe was pretty low-key.
Dunn eyed him. "Got a backup plan?"
"Yeah, I reached out to Mr. Douglas—Michael Douglas. He's in, but only if his wife gets the female lead," Steven replied.
Bill Mechanic snorted. "Michael's as stubborn as his old man!"
Dunn raised an eyebrow. "Catherine Zeta-Jones?"
"Yup, that's her," Steven nodded quickly.
Dunn smirked, mulling it over. "She's a stunner, I'll give her that!"
The vibe in the box suite froze solid.
They were all guys—they could tell Dunn wasn't just tossing out a casual compliment.
Bill's face tightened, his tone turning serious. "Dunn, the Douglas family's got some serious pull! Old man Douglas is still kicking!"
Dunn frowned. "Whoa, where'd your mind go?"
"That's not what you meant?"
"Of course not!" Dunn huffed. "The Douglas clan's already got a tight network in Hollywood. Even if I throw Michael a bone, he won't owe me squat. But roping in a British actress? That could stir up the whole UK crowd in our favor."
Bill's expression shifted—caught off guard. He hadn't pegged Dunn for *that* kind of ambition!
Winning over the entire British scene? Was that even doable?
Steven Soderbergh wasn't sure if he bought it, but he got the gist and tossed out some flattery. "One movie might not do much, but stack 'em up over time, and you'd definitely build a rep in the British circle."
"Gotta hand it to you, Dunn—your ideas never fail to impress," Bill said, genuinely floored.
Dunn flashed a cryptic little smile. "Who knows? Maybe my next flick'll be with Mel Gibson."
Bill's face stiffened, giving Dunn a complicated look. "Either way, let's see that *Spider-Man* trailer first. Superhero movies? Never been my thing."
Dunn burst out laughing. "Then just wait and see!"
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