Hollywood: titanic director

Ever since Dunn Films struck a series of strategic partnerships with Hasbro, they haven't slowed down their quest to acquire IP rights. Their next target? Mattel's Barbie doll!

But Mattel isn't like Hasbro. They're conservative, stuck in their ways, and slow to adapt to the times. They couldn't wrap their heads around Dunn's "big IP" concept for comprehensive collaboration and kept dragging their feet without giving a clear answer.

Dunn didn't think much of it at first.

In his view, this was a win-win deal. As long as Mattel wasn't foolish, they'd surely come around.

A blockbuster movie, after all!

Plus, with *Spider-Man*'s smashing success, Dunn had built a personal brand as a guaranteed hitmaker for commercial blockbusters. A franchise he personally planned and produced—how could it not make waves?

All Mattel needed was a bit of time to see the light.

But now, nearly two months later, Mattel still hadn't responded. Instead, behind the scenes, they quietly struck a deal with Disney…

Dunn didn't want to assume the worst, but the situation was starting to raise red flags.

Disney and Dunn Films had an irreconcilable rivalry, especially during the summer box office. Disney's crushing defeat had tanked their stock price, infuriating their chairman, Michael Eisner.

Could Disney be meddling?

The more Dunn thought about it, the more likely it seemed.

Mattel's vision had always been narrow. They were rigid, overly focused on short-term gains—a trait likely tied to their founder, Ruth Handler, being a woman with limited perspective, fostering a conservative corporate culture.

Now, Disney had dangled their trump card, the "Disney Princess" franchise, as bait to secure a deal with Mattel. Even if Disney took over 80% of the profits, the deal still promised Mattel at least $50 million a year.

Compared to Dunn Films' lofty concepts, theories, and visions, this was cold, hard cash!

If it were Hasbro, they might have weighed long-term benefits and done more due diligence. But for Mattel, the future was too uncertain. Money in hand was the only money that mattered.

Dunn's expression darkened.

Was Disney behind Mattel's reluctance to commit or even hint at collaborating with Dunn Films?

With Michael Eisner's petty and ruthless nature, it wasn't hard to imagine him retaliating after such a humiliating blow by attaching strings to a deal with Mattel.

Dunn didn't care about Mattel's fate. His focus was solely on Barbie. At this stage, only the Barbie IP could rival the "Disney Princess" brand.

But now, it seemed Barbie was slipping away…

Dunn wasn't ready to give up. He grabbed his phone and called Alan Hassenfeld at Hasbro, getting straight to the point. "I heard Disney licensed the 'Disney Princess' brand to Mattel for dolls. Is that true?"

Hassenfeld, thinking Dunn was calling to chew him out as a shareholder, quickly explained, "Dunn, I'm so sorry. You know Hasbro specializes in boys' toys. We're way behind Mattel in the girls' toy market. It makes sense that Disney went with them for 'Disney Princess.'"

"I'm not here to point fingers," Dunn said. "I just want to know—did Disney ever mention this to us beforehand?"

"No, we had no idea Disney was moving so fast on dolls," Hassenfeld replied. "The 'Disney Princess' brand is barely a month old. We figured Disney would take at least six months to promote it before licensing it out to toy companies."

"Six months…" Dunn's mind clicked. "So, you're saying, under normal marketing strategies, Disney would spend six months building the brand's recognition before negotiating with toy companies for better profit splits, right?"

"Theoretically, yes," Hassenfeld said. "A bigger, more established brand gives them leverage for better terms." He paused, then added, "But Disney's animations are already huge with kids worldwide, so it's not surprising they moved quickly."

"Not surprising?" Dunn scoffed.

His conversation with Hassenfeld only solidified his suspicions: Disney was targeting him again!

On the surface, they were battling it out at the box office.

But behind closed doors, Disney had quietly partnered with Mattel, effectively thwarting Dunn Films' plans for a strategic alliance and Barbie IP acquisition.

What a ruthless move—pulling the rug out from under him!

Disney was playing dirty!

Fine, then. Dunn was done playing nice.

Pulling the rug out? Disney wasn't the only one who could play that game!

A vicious plan was already brewing in Dunn's mind. *Just you wait, Disney.*

He didn't act immediately. Instead, he headed straight to Bill Mechanic's office.

Inside, an unexpected guest was waiting—James Cameron.

"James, you're here too?" Dunn's grim expression softened, a spark of surprise in his eyes.

Cameron stood, grinning as he shook Dunn's hand. "Haven't congratulated you yet! *Spider-Man*'s box office is crushing it, leaving every other summer release in the dust!"

Dunn gave a modest smile. "That's just because it didn't face any real competition. In a pond full of shrimp, even a minnow looks big!"

Cameron burst out laughing.

Bill Mechanic, sensing Dunn's urgency, asked, "Dunn, something up?"

Dunn didn't hold back, even with Cameron there. "What's the status on Mattel?"

Mechanic's brow furrowed slightly. "Not great. They're being vague, refusing to give a straight answer."

Dunn let out a cold laugh. "Forget it. If they can't see the opportunity, let them fend for themselves!"

This wasn't an empty threat.

As times changed, Mattel's conservative strategies led to declining revenue. Once Disney pulled the "Disney Princess" license and partnered with Hasbro instead, Mattel lost its spot as the world's top toy company. Within a few years, they faced the risk of a hostile takeover by Hasbro.

Mechanic's heart sank. He knew how much effort Dunn had put into securing Barbie. "Dunn, did something happen?"

"Disney's a worthy opponent, huh?" Dunn's tone dripped with icy sarcasm, his meaning clear.

Cameron glanced at Dunn, thoughtful, then chuckled. "Traditional action films are getting a bit dated. Today's teens want something fresh, bold, and full of fight!"

Dunn laughed heartily. "James, I'll take that as a good omen!"

Mechanic wasn't as optimistic. "Disney's influence won't be toppled by one movie."

Dunn's face lit up with sunny confidence. "One movie won't do it? Then two. Two's not enough? Then ten! Disney loves a fight? Fine. From now on, every single Disney release will have Dunn Films gunning for it!"

Mechanic, who'd once worked at Disney before leaving due to conflicts with Eisner, still had some attachment to his old company. "Dunn, this is a fight to the death."

Dunn shrugged, unbothered. "Disney's been stabbing me in the back time and again. Think I'm going to make nice? Dream on! Even if Michael Eisner begged on his knees, I'd kick him to the curb!"

"Hell yeah!" Cameron, ever the chaos enthusiast, clapped loudly. "Dunn, I love your fire and grit. Everyone calls me a tyrant on set, but the real tyrant in Hollywood is Michael Eisner. I'm with you on taking him down!"

Dunn gave him a sly, half-smile. "James, you're singing my tune a bit too eagerly. That's not like you."

Cameron's words caught in his throat, his face flushing.

Mechanic laughed. "Isn't it obvious? He's got a hurdle he can't clear with me and wants you to pull some strings."

"Oh?" Dunn's eyes lit up. "New movie?"

"What else would bring him here in person?" Mechanic teased Cameron.

Cameron cleared his throat awkwardly. "It's not a big deal. Just some disagreements with the production department over the budget."

"Budget?" Dunn couldn't help but chuckle.

Classic Cameron, stirring up trouble over money again.

Dunn had been swamped lately, so he hadn't paid much attention to Cameron's new project, leaving it entirely to Mechanic. He and Cameron had worked together before and were on good terms, so Dunn was confident the project would stay with Dunn Films.

This maritime rescue story wasn't one Cameron had tackled in his previous life. But James Cameron's name was synonymous with blockbuster hits.

Dunn trusted him completely… except when it came to budgets.

"Don't laugh—I'm serious," Cameron said, fixing Dunn with a stare. "I'm looking forward to our second collaboration. Last time with *Titanic*, you were the producer, I was the director, and we smashed it. How about you produce this one too?"

"Sounds good. I'm excited for it," Dunn replied.

"But I need final cut."

"Done."

Cameron grinned like he'd pulled off a heist. "Since you're producing, you're handling the budget. I'm just the director—I shoot the film. You make sure I have what I need!"

"What?!" Dunn gasped, realizing he'd been played.