In such a formal setting, Isla Fisher's quick jog caught a lot of attention. People started whispering, sensing something big was about to go down.
When they saw Dunn's face change dramatically, it only confirmed their suspicions.
What was going on?
Natalie walked over, looking concerned. "What's wrong?" she asked.
Dunn glanced around, noticing several people edging closer. His chest tightened, but he kept his voice low. "Michael Eisner's here."
"What?" Natalie gasped, echoing Dunn's shock.
In Hollywood, Michael Eisner's name carried serious weight. Sure, Dunn had been holding his own against him lately, even gaining a slight edge. But Eisner had been a titan in Hollywood for two decades, pulling off game-changing moves that made him a king-like figure. If Dunn was the breakout star of 2000, Eisner had been stealing the show every single year for the past 20.
Dunn's current rise was like a remix of Eisner's own legendary run.
"Is something going to happen?" Natalie asked, young and nervous, gripping Dunn's arm as her face paled.
Isla Fisher looked equally uneasy, while Jessica Alba seemed confused. What was the big deal? The Disney chairman showing up to celebrate Spider-Man's success should be a good thing—a badge of honor for Dunn Pictures. Why were they acting like it was a crisis?
With all eyes on him and a few people inching closer, Dunn took a deep breath, waved a hand casually, and grinned. "It's all good, folks. Keep enjoying the drinks!"
Facing a giant like Michael Eisner was way above Bill Mechanic's pay grade—he couldn't handle it. This was on Dunn to deal with.
He had to stay composed.
No matter why Eisner had shown up uninvited, Dunn needed to project calm confidence, maybe even a touch of nonchalance, to reassure everyone.
He patted Natalie's waist and whispered, "Stay steady. Don't lose it."
Natalie was sharp and caught on immediately. Her earlier reaction had been too obvious. As a representative of Dunn Pictures, especially with so many female guests watching her at this celebration, she couldn't afford to seem rattled. With Dunn Pictures and Disney locked in a behind-the-scenes battle, losing her cool now would be a mistake.
She took a deep breath, nodded firmly, and said, "Don't worry, I know what to do."
Dunn gave her a small smile. He'd always trusted his girlfriend, especially when it came to handling people.
At that moment, Kevin Feige, the assistant president of Marvel Studios, approached with a furrowed brow. "Boss, everything okay?"
Dunn smirked. "When the enemy comes, we block. When the flood comes, we build a dam. It's just Michael Eisner—what's the big deal? I'll go meet him."
Isla Fisher's eyes sparkled as she watched Dunn's bold confidence. Recently, she'd finished the first draft of her book, Gone Girl, and showed it to her writer mom, who gave her praise she'd never received before. It reignited her dream of being an author. After seeing the uglier side of Hollywood's leading ladies, she'd lost interest in acting. Staying by Dunn's side as a low-key assistant felt much more comfortable.
Dunn clapped Kevin Feige on the shoulder. "Keep things under control here. No matter what happens, this is Spider-Man's victory party. We can't lose face."
"Got it," Kevin nodded firmly.
"Alright." Dunn took Natalie's hand, gave her a meaningful look, and said, "Let's go meet this Disney chairman."
"Let's do it!" Natalie replied, quickly pulling herself together with a bright smile. Still, a hint of tension lingered in her eyes.
Michael Eisner was like a big bad wolf—his reputation was that intimidating.
Hand in hand with Natalie, Dunn strode confidently toward the entrance, where a crowd had already gathered.
A young man hurried over—Dunn recognized him as Bill Mechanic's assistant. He quietly informed Dunn that Eisner had come through Ron Meyer, the president of Universal Pictures, bringing a gift and a female companion. It didn't seem like he was here to pick a fight.
This was key information. Combined with recent rumors that Disney wanted to make peace with Dunn Pictures, Dunn had a hunch about why Eisner had shown up unannounced.
Was he looking to smooth things over?
Dunn smirked coldly. Not a chance.
Sure enough, as he got closer, he saw Bill Mechanic, president of Dunn Pictures, and vice president West Cotton chatting amicably with an older man in a sharp suit.
At 58, Michael Eisner looked older than his years, likely due to multiple major surgeries. But he was still trim, a sign of his strict self-discipline.
Since arriving in Hollywood four years ago with Titanic, Dunn had faced plenty of opponents. Michael Eisner, without a doubt, was the toughest.
But Dunn's gaze lingered on him for only a moment before shifting to someone else.
Eisner's companion was a young, beautiful, and playful woman Dunn recognized instantly: Disney's golden girl and pop superstar, Britney Spears.
Right now, Britney Spears was the hottest name in music. Her second album, Oops!... I Did It Again, had smashed records, outshining even Madonna and Michael Jackson.
Natalie noticed Britney too, raising an eyebrow and whispering, "Looks like he's trying to tempt you with her."
Given Eisner's status, there was no way he'd be romantically linked with Britney, and even if he were, he'd never bring her to a public event like this. Her presence as his companion at Spider-Man's celebration was clearly aimed at Dunn.
Dunn's lips curled into a dismissive smirk. "A honey trap? He's underestimating me."
Natalie scoffed too. Sure, Dunn had a reputation for being a bit of a playboy, but thinking he could be swayed by such a cheap tactic was laughable. She had complete faith in him.
Real power players kept their personal lives tightly controlled, not ticking time bombs by their side.
With a relaxed smile, Dunn extended his right hand to Eisner from a distance, his tone carrying a hint of apology. "Mr. Eisner, I had no idea you'd be coming in person. Sorry for not greeting you sooner!"
Dunn's warm, almost chummy demeanor made Eisner's eyes narrow slightly. He matched the enthusiasm, gripping Dunn's hand with both of his. "Director Walker, haha, I'm the one crashing your party. I should be apologizing!"
"No way, you're too kind! It's an honor to have you at Spider-Man's celebration," Dunn said, radiating warmth.
Their handshake was firm, and Dunn could feel the heat and strength in Eisner's grip.
After some brief small talk, Dunn was certain: Eisner wasn't here to start trouble.
That put him at ease. Not that he was scared, but this was Spider-Man's victory party. If things got messy, it'd be a blow to Dunn's reputation. Even if he managed to send Eisner packing, the fallout would be a loss for Dunn Pictures. Plus, with Universal Pictures' execs in the room, getting shown up by a rival at his own event would look bad.
But now, his worries seemed unfounded.
If Eisner was here to make nice and bury the hatchet, it'd be the cherry on top of the celebration. The head of Disney showing up to "apologize" with the ultra-famous Britney Spears in tow? That was a major win.
Universal's execs were watching, and this would have an unexpected impact.
Universal wasn't exactly thriving. After Vivendi acquired them, just as Dunn had predicted, the company underwent a massive restructuring. Ten years ago, Panasonic had bought Universal for $6.5 billion when it was at its peak, with businesses spanning film, TV, music, gaming, publishing, theme parks, and home entertainment.
But Vivendi, notorious for asset stripping, merged Universal with Seagram, creating Vivendi Universal Entertainment. They folded in Blizzard, Sierra, Canal+, EMI Pictures, and Universal Pictures, then split Universal's gaming division into Vivendi Games, its publishing into Vivendi Publishing, its music into Vivendi Music, and its internet into Vivendi Internet.
Compared to a decade ago, Universal Pictures had lost 60% of its assets. All that remained was the film studio shell and the theme park business. Universal's execs had seen their power gutted by the French conglomerate, leaving them with little.
Once a Hollywood giant, Universal was now just another company under Vivendi's film division, on par with EMI Pictures—a humiliating fall.
In contrast, their partner, Dunn Pictures, was riding high, forcing Disney's top dog, Michael Eisner, to show up uninvited with a peace offering.
Watching Dunn handle the situation with calm confidence, Ron Meyer felt a mix of emotions.
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