Back when *Titanic* was released during the Christmas season, all it had to do was dominate that period. Afterward, the box office would naturally slow down, allowing it to maintain its lead.
And that's exactly what happened—*Titanic* held the No. 1 spot at the North American box office for an astonishing 15 consecutive weeks!
Such a legendary record would have been impossible during the summer season.
Dunn had already mentally prepared himself. He expected *Titanic* to hold the top spot for two weeks before making way for *The Lost World: Jurassic Park*.
On Thursday night previews, *The Lost World* raked in $9.5 million. On Friday, it pulled in $19 million, followed by a whopping $30 million on Saturday and $18.6 million on Sunday. Its opening weekend total exceeded $70 million!
That opening number placed it third in box office history, just behind *Jurassic Park* and *Titanic*. Not a bad ranking at all.
Yet, Steven Spielberg couldn't bring himself to smile.
Because *Titanic* was even more explosive that week, grossing over $85 million with a drop of less than 15%!
This absolutely insane box office performance sent shockwaves through Hollywood and left Spielberg shaking his head in frustration.
If *The Lost World* couldn't even beat *Titanic* in its opening weekend, then there was no chance it could overtake it in the following weeks.
And sure enough, in its fourth week, *Titanic* still pulled in over $60 million, bringing its North American total to an incredible $3.3 billion!
Meanwhile, *The Lost World* saw a sharp decline of over 50%, earning just over $30 million that week. Based on industry estimates, its final North American box office would barely surpass $200 million.
A complete defeat!
Before their releases, *Titanic* was the laughingstock of Hollywood, while *The Lost World* was the highly anticipated blockbuster.
But in the end?
*Titanic* crushed everything in its path like an unstoppable juggernaut—even the once-majestic dinosaurs had to step aside.
What an embarrassment!
Since rising to fame with *Jaws*, Spielberg had been Hollywood's king of commercial cinema. Any filmmaker who crossed his path had to make way.
His influence as a Jewish filmmaker only grew, and his ambitions led him to establish DreamWorks, a studio meant to challenge the big six Hollywood studios.
Yet, he never expected that this summer, a kid under 20 would step on his head and become a legend overnight!
For someone of Spielberg's stature, openly targeting a young director would be beneath him. But that didn't mean he wasn't upset.
Just like how, back in the day, Francis Ford Coppola, Woody Allen, and Stanley Kubrick weren't exactly thrilled about *his* success!
By June, more major blockbusters were hitting theaters. Under the pressure of *Con Air*, *Men in Black*, *Speed 2*, and *Batman & Robin*, *Titanic* finally gave up its No. 1 spot. Its weekly box office plummeted by over 55%, dropping to $30 million.
Especially *Men in Black*, starring Will Smith—it became one of the summer's biggest surprises, debuting with over $65 million. Its stylish and dazzling action sequences caused a major sensation.
This only further squeezed *The Lost World's* chances for survival.
By late June, *The Lost World* had only made $1.8 billion in North America, while *Titanic* surged past $4 billion, reaching $4.5 billion!
The records set by *Jurassic Park* were now being shattered one by one.
The official summer blockbuster season runs from July to September, meaning the global *Titanic* frenzy was just getting started. Many countries hadn't even released the film yet. As of now, its international earnings stood at $3.4 billion.
Yet, even at this stage, *Titanic's* global total had already hit $8 billion, steadily moving toward the number Dunn Walker had predicted!
On July 1st, James Cameron, Dunn, Leonardo DiCaprio, and others boarded Cameron's private jet, heading to the UK for the film's British premiere.
From this moment, *Titanic* would officially open worldwide!
Over the next two to three months, its box office was expected to explode even further.
Upon arriving in the UK, they were greeted by a slightly weary-looking Kate Winslet.
"How are you?"
As two of her closest friends in the cast, Dunn and Leonardo immediately rushed over with concern.
Kate brushed her hair back and forced a smile. "I'm fine."
Dunn frowned. "Did *he* give you a hard time?"
A month ago, Kate had returned home to deal with breaking off her engagement. Judging by her expression, things hadn't gone smoothly.
She looked visibly disappointed and shook her head. "It's fine. I handled it."
Leonardo wasn't convinced. "Kate, do you not see us as friends?"
Feeling their genuine concern, Kate sighed. "It's already resolved. I had to pay a settlement."
"A settlement?"
Dunn and Leonardo's expressions darkened. Things had gotten *that* bad? Her ex-fiancé was really that much of a scumbag?
"Forget it. If money can solve it, then it's not really a problem," Dunn said, patting Kate's arm. "As long as it's settled, that's what matters. If you need any financial help, I've got cash on hand..."
Kate finally smiled for real. "Thank you, Dunn. I don't need it for now, but… I think I need to take on a new film right away."
Dunn nodded. "Alright, just don't overwork yourself. No matter what happens in the future, Leo and I will always have your back."
Leonardo chimed in with his support.
Kate was touched. She gave them both a warm hug. "Thank you. Having friends like you is my greatest fortune."
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Meanwhile, Dunn's assistant, George Paxton, had also arrived in London for a special task.
"George, go to the major bookstores and find fantasy novels aimed at young adults—not fairy tales, but real fantasy."
Dunn couldn't just blurt out the exact book he wanted. That would be way too suspicious.
George, though not particularly skilled, was sharp. "Dunn, are you thinking about making a fantasy movie for young audiences?"
Dunn had previously asked him to look into the rights for *The Lord of the Rings*, only to find out that New Line Cinema had already secured them and was working with Peter Jackson to bring the epic to the big screen.
So naturally, George assumed Dunn was exploring other fantasy options.
Dunn didn't deny it. "Something like that."
George frowned. "You know I'm not great at negotiations. Wouldn't it be better for your agent to handle this?"
"You mean William?"
Dunn scoffed, looking unimpressed.
He had completely lost faith in his agent, William Mihawk. He was on the verge of firing him.
As *Titanic's* success skyrocketed, more directing offers were coming in. Yet, William acted like a clueless rookie, getting overly excited about minor deals. Even a $10–$20 million project had him tripping over himself in excitement.
Dunn understood—despite directing *Titanic*, he was still young and inexperienced. No studio would risk handing him a $100+ million blockbuster just yet. It was safer to go with veteran directors like Spielberg, Mel Gibson, or Ridley Scott.
But as his agent, William shouldn't be this desperate.
Dunn had already written him off. There was no way he'd trust him with something this important.
"It's fine. I have a plan. Just go do it."
A small loss in negotiations didn't matter.
After all, Dunn knew what the future held.
Sacrificing short-term gains for long-term success—that was the true advantage of someone who had lived this life before. 😏
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