Dunn has a brilliant plan.
So, he wants to quickly build up his initial capital, carve out an industry for himself, and use his grasp of future trends to secretly weaken his rivals' strength.
After snagging a $100 million dividend, his first thought was to throw it into the stock market and rake in some insane returns.
But then Dunn quickly had another idea—Marvel!
It's 1997, and Marvel's just gone through a bankruptcy reorganization. Things are looking pretty grim—they even had to keep selling off comic rights just to stay afloat. But with the box office explosions of *X-Men* and *Spider-Man*, Marvel's fortunes turned around fast. They got ambitious, built the Marvel Universe, and bam—huge success!
So yeah, right now's the perfect time to swoop in on Marvel—before *X-Men* hits theaters and Sony snags the *Spider-Man* rights.
Dunn gave his assistant, George Paxton, a mission: dig up everything he could on Marvel and figure out if an acquisition's possible.
The news that came back? Not great. 😕
Marvel Entertainment Group's market value isn't high right now. Last year, Avi Arad and Ike Perlmutter bought the whole thing for just $50 million.
But unlike the old Wall Street days when capital called the shots, Avi Arad's got big dreams. He's not only clawed back a bunch of rights they'd sold or leased out, but he's also set up Marvel Studios under the company, aiming to break into the movie biz.
On top of that, Avi Arad and Ike Perlmutter have the full support of Marvel's management. Dunn trying to buy them out now? No chance.
These two shareholders didn't grab Marvel just to flip it for profit like Wall Street would—they're in it to build something.
So, when Dunn sent over his acquisition offer, Marvel's response was crystal clear: "Nope!" 🙅♂️
Dunn rubbed his head, feeling a headache coming on. With Marvel being so dead-set against it, was he really stuck dumping his money into the stock market?
No way—he wasn't about to give up!
"If they won't play ball, then they'll just have to go down!"
Dunn's eyes narrowed into slits, his serious face taking on a cold edge.
He's got unshakable confidence. There's no way he's letting a goldmine like Marvel slip into the hands of future competitors.
He's got two years. If Marvel doesn't come around by then, Dunn's ready to pull out all the stops—crush them completely and leave no loose ends!
There are tons of comic companies in the U.S., but Marvel's only superhero who's truly a nationwide icon is Spider-Man.
If he can snatch the *Spider-Man* rights before Sony does in 1999, then team up with other comic companies to create a parallel universe—maybe even have Spider-Man cross over into it—he could cut Marvel Studios off at the knees and rip the soul out of Marvel Comics. Let's see them try to shine like they did in his past life then!
Of course, that's the nuclear option.
The Marvel Universe has proven success from his past life, so if Dunn can control it, it's a safer bet than building a brand-new comic universe from scratch.
While Dunn was plotting Marvel's future in his head, he got a call from Bill McNick.
"Hey, Dunn, you free? I'm swinging by your studio."
Dunn had already set up his own film company—Dunn Pictures.
Right now, it's just two people: the boss, Dunn Walker, and his employee, George Paxton. They're renting an old, rundown building—decent space, but in a lousy spot, way too close to the slums.
Bill McNick's sudden visit caught Dunn off guard, and he was kinda flattered. "Bill, you're too nice!"
Bill laughed. "No biggie. I'll be there at 2 p.m. sharp!"
…
Dunn figured Bill was dropping by to thank him for *Titanic*'s success. The movie's already cleared $500 million in North America, with global box office closing in on $1.3 billion—and it's still climbing like crazy!
But Bill didn't show up with his assistant. Instead, he brought a bald, middle-aged guy—kind face, sharp suit, chill vibe, but with a presence that screamed "big deal." Clearly someone important.
Dunn flashed a smile and stuck out his hand. "Hey, I'm Dunn Walker—you can just call me Dunn."
The guy's attitude was even friendlier than Dunn's, with this natural warmth that threw Dunn off. This dude's charisma? He could totally run for office!
A politician, maybe?
"Hi, Dunn. I'm Bryan Lord, from CAA."
That gentle voice didn't carry the threat or swagger you'd expect—just calm and easy, like chatting with an old buddy. Dunn was stunned.
Bryan Lord!
Dunn's been in Hollywood long enough to know that name—it's legendary.
After Michael Ovitz and Ron Meyer jumped ship, Bryan Lord took over as CAA's top dog. Oh, and he's also Hollywood's most famous super-agent!
Steven Spielberg, Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Madonna, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, Cate Blanchett—they're all his clients.
Even his assistants are heavy hitters in Hollywood: Maha Dakhil, Pat Kingsley, Hilda Queally, Tracy Jacobs, Hylda Kosinski…
Dunn swallowed hard. No way he wasn't nervous! 😅
Bill McNick jumped in quick. "Dunn, I know you've had some… misunderstandings with CAA lately, but I swear, Bryan had no idea!"
Dunn reined in his jitters, keeping his face neutral.
Bryan Lord waved it off. "Whether I knew or not, it's still my screw-up. Dunn, I'm really sorry for any trouble it's caused you."
Dunn stayed cool. "No need for that. I already fired William Mehauk, and I'm talking with William Morris Agency now."
Even with Dunn's blunt words, Bryan Lord just kept smiling. "Fair enough. WME's the biggest agency out there—they've poached plenty of top directors and stars from CAA the past couple years. Meanwhile, CAA's been struggling. We've got to treat every client like gold."
Oof, that was a slick move.
WME's loaded with big names—would Dunn even get VIP treatment there? But CAA? They're in rough shape, so they'd bend over backwards for every rising star or hot talent, giving them whatever they want.
Dunn gave Bryan Lord a long look, quietly impressed. This guy's a pro—sharp as a tack with just a casual compliment.
Bill McNick played peacemaker. "Come on, Dunn, do me a favor—let's not make a big deal out of this. I'm sure Bryan's got an explanation for you."
Bryan Lord kept up that sincere smile.
Dunn nodded. "Alright, let's talk inside."
Back in the office, Dunn poured them each a glass of whiskey, then sat down quietly. He was waiting for Bryan Lord's "explanation."
Bryan knew exactly what was up and grinned. "Dunn, I hear you're looking to buy Marvel Entertainment?"
Dunn tried to hide it, but the shock hit his face hard.
He'd told George Paxton to dig into Marvel on the down-low. But somehow, Bryan Lord already had the whole thing figured out?
This guy's Hollywood connections are unreal—scary, even!
Dunn took a deep breath. "Yeah, that's the plan."
Bill McNick shot him a look, frowning.
He couldn't believe Dunn was this reckless. A director should just stick to making movies, right? Starting your own studio makes sense, but buying Marvel? That's next-level cocky!
Even Warner Bros. wouldn't touch Marvel's mess—why does Dunn think he can?
Bryan Lord's expression stayed the same—calm and steady, like always. Good luck reading that guy's mind!
"Dunn, you made *Titanic*—your special effects skills are top-tier in Hollywood, no question. But superhero movies…" Bryan shook his head. "That's a total swamp!"
Bill McNick chimed in. "Yeah, Dunn! Two superhero flicks came out this year—Warner's *Batman & Robin* and New Line's *Spawn*. Total disasters! Especially *Batman*—they had George Clooney, Arnold Schwarzenegger, huge stars, and it still nearly tanked the franchise!"
Bryan Lord sighed. "*Batman & Robin* was my project, and breaking even might take five years. Dunn, superhero movies have been bombing for years—*The Phantom*, *The Rocketeer*, *Batman Returns*—none of them did great."
Dunn shook his head firmly. "Just 'cause others can't pull it off doesn't mean I can't. Sorry, but my biggest goal right now is buying Marvel."
Bill McNick let out a heavy sigh, while Bryan Lord didn't push back. Instead, he opened his briefcase, pulled out a thick stack of files, and handed them to Dunn.
Dunn flipped it open, and his breath caught. His heart started racing, and when he looked at Bryan Lord, there was a flicker of fear in his eyes!
This was straight-up top-secret Marvel intel!
Compared to this, George Paxton's digging the past few days was like child's play.
The file had everything—Marvel's detailed financials. Sure, they've got two big shareholders steering the ship now, but this showed their money situation was shaky. Within two years, they'd be back to selling off rights to survive.
Two years… isn't that when Sony grabs *Spider-Man* in 1999?
It also had profiles on the management team—positions, power dynamics, personalities, goals, the works.
This was basically an encyclopedia of Marvel Entertainment Group!
No wonder Michael Ovitz was Hollywood's most powerful guy three years running—CAA's network and resources are mind-blowing…