Even though *Titanic* totally crushed it at the Oscars, Bill Mechanic—the big mastermind behind the movie—hasn't been having the best time lately.
Tom Rothman, the head honcho at Fox Studios, straight-up blasted him at a board meeting. He's mad about the distribution deal Bill signed with Dunn for *My Big Fat Greek Wedding*, saying it seriously screwed over 20th Century Fox's interests.
And it looks like Tom's got the higher-ups on his side. Poor Bill's feeling some major heat at those board meetings. Yikes!
Honestly, giving up a bit on the profit split wouldn't be a big deal—Dunn's done a ton for Fox, after all. He's earned his stripes!
But here's the kicker: Fox didn't snag any rights to *My Big Fat Greek Wedding*, and that's got everyone ticked off. Even Tom knows Dunn Walker's movies are pretty much guaranteed to hit it big.
A comedy like *My Big Fat Greek Wedding*? Low budget, high returns—it's the perfect setup for sequels! If Fox doesn't have a piece of the pie, how can they be sure they'll get distribution rights for any future sequels? That's the real worry.
At the end of the day, Bill's been way too soft on Dunn Walker, and it's hurting the company.
Bill trusts Dunn—like, really trusts him. He's betting on their friendship, thinking Fox will still be Dunn's go-to for distribution even without rights locked in.
But the rest of Fox? They're not buying it. They're a business, not a handshake club—they need contracts, not promises!
For the first time since *Titanic*'s massive win, Bill's feeling the squeeze from the top. Oof.
Good news, though? This little slip-up isn't enough to knock him off his throne. Bad news? It's plenty for Tom Rothman and his crew to start rallying the troops.
Meanwhile, Dunn's stressing out big time.
Before all this, he took on a huge gig to rake in some cash—directing the *Star Wars* prequel. He scored $15 million plus 15% of the global box office. Sweet deal, right?
So far, he's pocketed the first $5 million. Another $5 million's coming when filming starts, and the last $5 million hits after it wraps. The box office bonus? That'll roll in once the movie's done its run.
That's standard Hollywood stuff—keeps the risk low.
But Dunn's not sweating the money. He's freaking out about *himself*.
See, a newbie bonus gave him a "mirror possession" skill that let him direct *Titanic*. Then, when *Titanic* smashed past $1 billion, the system rewarded him with another "mirror possession" for *My Big Fat Greek Wedding*. Lucky breaks!
But now? Dunn's got nothing left to lean on for *Star Wars Episode I*. No more "mirror possession" in his toolkit!
*Titanic* raked in $1.88 billion worldwide, but that's not enough to unlock another reward. He's stuck!
After directing two films, Dunn's skills have leveled up a bit: cinematography 18, plot design 10, visual thinking 19, directing 31, production 2, project eval 14, screenwriting 15… Not bad, huh?
But let's be real—that's nowhere near enough to tackle a sci-fi blockbuster like *Star Wars*!
*The Phantom Menace* already has a plan locked in:
- March 26: Press conference announcing Dunn Walker as director.
- March 28: Auditions for key roles like the male co-star and female lead.
- April: Crew setup.
- May: Special effects team starts cranking out post-production shots.
- June: Filming kicks off.
But here's the problem—Dunn doesn't have the chops to pull this off! If he jumps in, he'll flop hard and become Hollywood's laughingstock. Total disaster vibes.
He mulled it over for two days. Quitting now? Not an option—he can't afford the penalty fees. To keep going as *Star Wars*' director, he *needs* the system to toss him another "mirror possession"!
*Titanic* hit $1.88 billion globally. If he can push it to $2 billion—a measly $120 million more—he'll get that reward and save the day.
Trouble is, *Titanic* is already off screens worldwide, and *My Big Fat Greek Wedding* isn't out 'til mid-August, where it's set to duke it out with *Blade*. What now?
*Titanic*'s a lost cause. His only shot is *My Big Fat Greek Wedding*.
So, Dunn shows up at Bryan Lord's door.
When Bryan hears why Dunn's there, he's floored. "Wait, what? Dunn, you want the movie out *early*?"
Dunn waves it off. "Just overseas—North America stays the same."
Bryan shuts it down fast. "No way! Dunn, that messes up everything. North America's box office boosts overseas numbers—it's free hype! That's why Hollywood always releases there first."
"I get that, but what's our main goal? Taking down *Blade*!" Dunn can't spill the real reason, so he spins a solid excuse. "If we release overseas first, we can use the buzz to tweak the North American cut. We've gotta bring our A-game to beat *Blade*!"
Bryan's not sold. "Dunn, are you ditching the overseas market? If *My Big Fat Greek Wedding* drops now, who's gonna challenge *Blade* overseas in August?"
Dunn grins. "I've thought about that—no worries! *Blade*'s R-rated, so it's limited in where it can play. Plus, a Black lead narrows the audience. And the big one? Spielberg's *Saving Private Ryan* is dropping overseas in August. Let them slug it out—we'll sidestep the chaos!"
Bryan's warming up to the logic, but an early overseas release still feels risky. "Dunn, your movie's gold. Stick to the plan—promote, release, profit. Why gamble?"
Dunn's dying inside. He *knows* it's a solid plan, but to avoid tanking on *Star Wars*, he's got no choice.
"Bryan, look… I've got some personal reasons I can't really explain. It *has* to go overseas early." He sighs, knowing a sly fox like Bryan won't buy a half-baked story.
Bryan raises an eyebrow, sizing Dunn up. He doesn't push for details, just nods slowly. "Alright, if that's the case, it's a different story. I'll set up a meeting with Bill this afternoon—we'll hash it out."
…
Bill Mechanic's already in a foul mood, and Dunn's "crazy" request doesn't help. "No chance, Dunn! There are rules to releasing movies—this isn't playtime!"
Bryan frowns slightly. "Bill, I think it could work…"
"Bryan!" Bill's voice drops. "You're siding with Dunn on this?"
Bryan freezes, looking awkward.
Dunn stays quiet for a bit, then sighs. "Bill, we go way back. I know you're in a tough spot. How about this: if the movie hits overseas in April, I'll give Fox 20% of the rights. No profit cut, just the rights."
"What?" Bill's eyes light up, suddenly pumped. "Dunn, you're serious?"
Dunn chuckles. "Of course! You're catching flak because of my movie—I'm not gonna leave you hanging."
Bill takes a deep breath. This is huge! If he secures part of *My Big Fat Greek Wedding*'s rights, he can shut down the boardroom drama and reclaim his power.
Compared to that, the release date's small potatoes.
"It's almost April—time's tight," Bill says, softening up now that he's got a win.
Dunn smiles. "I know. That's why I'm hoping Fox can pull out all the stops—use your connections, ramp up promo and distribution fast. Aim for April 15 in the first batch of countries, and full overseas by May."
"Tough ask," Bill teases, then laughs. "But I've got this!"
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