Dunn's plane touched down in Saint Paul, the capital of Minnesota.
The crew of Juno was busy filming here, working at a fast pace.
The movie was slated for a 40-day shoot, set to wrap up before the Oscar ceremony.
With a budget of $8 million, it might seem like a lot—after all, Juno had far fewer shots than Memento, which cost $5 million. But that wasn't the full story. Memento's brilliance came from its editing, taking coherent scenes and scrambling them into something new.
Juno, on the other hand, didn't have many locations or characters, but it required makeup for the lead actress, Natalie Portman—fake breasts and bellies in different sizes to show her pregnancy progression. Plus, the film spanned a full year in just a short production window, so they had to use fake plants and special post-production tricks to give the audience a sense of changing seasons.
All in all, though, Juno was a pretty straightforward movie to shoot.
Dunn showed up on set, and it had nothing to do with Natalie. He was there partly to thank Cate Blanchett for her cameo, partly to check out the skills of the director, Patty Jenkins, but most importantly, to talk to producer Kathleen Kennedy.
The script for Signs had already been sent to Dunn Pictures, and the production team had approved a budget—up to $80 million, max.
After the box office flop of Unbreakable, director M. Night Shyamalan was being extra cautious with this one. As a foreigner, two flops in a row could spell the end of his Hollywood career. So, for this film, he had to make sure it was a hit!
He laid out two strict demands:
First, the lead had to be a huge star—either Mel Gibson, Tom Hanks, or Tom Cruise.
Second, he needed a producer with serious skills and experience—either Kathleen Kennedy or Dunn Walker.
His failed collaboration with Joel Russo on Unbreakable had made him obsessed with having a top-notch team.
Honestly, Dunn wasn't thrilled about it!
Even a big-shot director like Ridley Scott would talk to Dunn with a respectful tone, but M. Night Shyamalan—an Indian guy with a couple of hits—who did he think he was? He was acting like he was some big deal.
If it weren't for Dunn's plan to take a swing at Disney and mess with Michael Eisner, he'd have blacklisted Shyamalan the same way he did Michael Bay.
Luckily, Dunn could see Shyamalan's future clear as day.
Signs would do well, sure, but it'd just be a last hurrah. His talent would peak in these few years, and then he'd settle comfortably into the throne of "King of Flops." Dunn wouldn't even need to lift a finger.
That was a far cry from Michael Bay, whose star would only keep rising.
Casting Mel Gibson as the lead? No problem.
Sure, Mel was juggling We Were Soldiers and Mr. & Mrs. Smith right now, bouncing between sets for post-production. But the Aussie tough guy was a known workhorse—he never got tired. And in the original Signs, he'd been the lead anyway.
As for Kathleen Kennedy… Dunn felt a little stuck.
She wasn't just the president of Rose Pictures; she was also the head of Kennedy/Marshall Company. Getting her as a producer would likely mean bringing her company into the mix. Fortunately, Signs was a big commercial flick, and her little outfit didn't have the clout to claim profits or rights—they'd just get a co-production credit for the prestige.
Her producer fee would land between $5 million and $8 million, about the same as Shyamalan's directing fee. For comparison, Ridley Scott's pay was around $8 million too. Foreigners in Hollywood always got paid less than Americans at the same level!
When Dunn arrived on set, the actors were on a break. Natalie, sporting a big fake belly, was waddling around the yard with her assistant's help, looking pretty hilarious.
"I thought you were actually pregnant for a second!" Dunn snuck up behind her, catching her off guard.
Natalie turned, grinned at first, then put on a mock frown. "Oh, shut up. I'm just getting into character—feeling what it's like to be a pregnant woman!"
Her assistant stifled a laugh and slipped away quietly.
Dunn stepped closer, pulling her gently into a hug. "You look beautiful," he said with a smile.
Natalie pressed her lips together, holding back a smile, then rolled her eyes playfully. "Don't think I don't know what you're up to. I told you—no funny business until I graduate."
Dunn sighed dramatically. "You're overthinking it! Can't I just compliment my girlfriend without it being some sneaky plot?"
She burst out laughing, gave him a big, exaggerated eye roll, then quickly pecked his cheek. "There, happy now?" she teased.
"How about one more?" Dunn grinned, leaning in.
"Get lost—this is a film set!" Natalie huffed, shoving him lightly. "Go do your important stuff. I'm fine here."
"Huh?"
"Don't 'huh' me. You think I'm one of those clueless actresses? I'm shooting a low-budget indie flick—did you really come all this way just for that?"
Dunn chuckled awkwardly. "My Nat's too smart for me!"
She smirked. "You're such a dork."
…
Dunn's arrival got the whole crew buzzing.
They were filming in a standalone house the production had rented locally, decked out to look like Juno's home.
It was a working set, so Dunn didn't steal the spotlight. He went straight to Kathleen Kennedy, and their chat went smoothly. She didn't even hesitate—she agreed to take on Signs right away.
That's emotional intelligence for you.
When Dunn showed up in person, how could she say no?
With business sorted, Dunn was in a good mood. "Patty, how's it going? Settling in okay?"
Patty Jenkins smiled modestly. "It's my first big movie, so there've been some hiccups. Honestly, I'd be lost without Kathleen's help."
Kathleen shook her head. "Everyone's like that their first time directing. I remember my first gig—working on Spielberg's 1941. He told me something I've never forgotten: 'Most people don't fail because they lack that 1% of talent—they fail because they don't put in the 99% of effort.'"
Patty's face turned serious, then she laughed at herself. "Guess I've still got a long way to go!"
Kathleen smiled warmly. "Patty, you're doing great. We can all see how hard you're working."
This wasn't just flattery for Dunn's sake—she meant it.
Dunn nodded quietly, then grinned. "Let's skip the polite stuff. Patty, you and Kathleen seem to get along well. How about this—if you've got any cool ideas or scripts down the line, bring them to her and team up with Rose Pictures? Just one catch: they've gotta push feminism."
Kathleen laughed. "I'd love that!"
Patty hesitated, opening her mouth like she wanted to say something, then stopped.
"What's up?" Dunn asked, curious.
Patty wavered. "I probably shouldn't bring this up since Juno isn't even done yet. But there's this script I've been working on for five years. I went to the American Film Institute just to learn how to tell this story."
"What story?"
Dunn had a sudden hunch—he might already know what she was talking about.
Patty explained, "Ten years ago, there was a case that shook the whole country. They called her America's first female serial killer—Aileen Wuornos. She killed six men, including a cop. She confessed to it all, but…"
Dunn cut her off with a wave. "No need to explain—I know the case."
Yup, it was exactly what he thought: Patty's breakout hit, Monster—the feminist classic that won Charlize Theron an Oscar!
"Isn't she still on trial?" Kathleen asked, clearly aware of the high-profile case.
Patty sighed. "Yeah. Word is, she might get the death penalty." Florida still had capital punishment.
Kathleen's face grew stern. "Patty, I get it—you feel for her. But you've got to hold off on this story. At least wait until the verdict's in before you start the project."
Patty's voice rose. "By then, she might already be executed!"
Kathleen's tone turned firm. "Are you trying to meddle with justice? Look, no company's going to touch this film before the trial's over—I'm just being real with you."
Hearing that, Dunn suddenly understood why Monster didn't start filming until after Wuornos's execution.
Patty froze, stunned by Kathleen's sharp words.
Kathleen softened a bit. "Patty, I know what you're thinking—you want to use the movie to rally the public and fight for Aileen. But don't forget, one of the victims was a cop!"
Dunn added gravely, "The media's job is to watch, not to take over for a jury. Even if Aileen was wronged, using a film to sway the verdict might feel right, but it's still wrong."
Cate Blanchett, the biggest star in the crew, had the freedom to pop into the director's room whenever. She'd slipped in unnoticed and caught Dunn's serious comment. With a smirk, she teased, "Dunn, you sound like you could be a federal judge!"
Dunn turned, his eyes lighting up. "Cate! Oh, by the way, Daredevil needs a female lead—Elektra. Interested?"