Michael Ovitz's words boiled down to a simple truth: you've got to be tough to forge iron.
But Dunn caught a deeper meaning beneath it.
Disney was breaking market rules, ruthlessly targeting Dunn Films. The other five major studios were okay with it because, compared to a minor disruption of the market, crushing Dunn Films brought them bigger profits.
Now, imagine if a thriving Dunn Films could offer them even more benefits—would they still turn a blind eye to Disney's antics?
No way!
They'd team up and slap Disney down in a heartbeat!
Dunn gave Michael Ovitz a long, thoughtful look, quietly impressed.
This guy had dominated Hollywood for over twenty years for a reason—his insight and perspective were razor-sharp. This kind of clear, down-to-earth analysis outshone anything Wes Cotton or Bill McNick could muster.
Now, Dunn finally had a full grasp of Dunn Films' situation—and it was worse than he'd thought!
Still, he wasn't feeling down about it.
To fix a problem, you first need to figure out what's wrong. If you can't even pinpoint the issue and just throw out random solutions, you're left with a mess.
Michael Ovitz glanced at Dunn and noticed a faint smile tugging at his lips. Surprised, he paused for a second. "Dunn, you're the strangest young guy I've ever met."
"Strange?" Dunn chuckled. "Think about the Normandy landing. The winds were fierce, the waves were crashing, and all the generals were sweating bullets, worried it'd flop. But General Eisenhower? He was thrilled. He saw it as the perfect setup—tough conditions meant the German defenses would be at their sloppiest."
Michael Ovitz smirked and shook his head.
Eisenhower?
The Supreme Allied Commander, a five-star general, a U.S. president!
This Dunn kid sure had a big mouth!
But then again, it wasn't totally off-base.
In Hollywood, Dunn's rise mirrored Eisenhower's in a way—both carved their paths through controversy and pressure.
Who knows? Maybe Dunn could one day be Hollywood's… president!
…
After the game, it was shower time.
Dunn and Penelope Cruz, without a word, headed to the same bathroom.
Out here, with no time limits holding them back, how could Dunn resist a stunner like her with that killer figure?
In no time, it was a whirlwind of passion—wild and chaotic.
Gasps and thuds echoed through the bathroom, turning it into a steamy symphony.
When Dunn stepped out, fully dressed, he spotted Michael Ovitz pacing in the VIP room, phone in hand, looking a bit antsy.
Soon, Ovitz hung up with a sigh and glanced past Dunn. "Where's Penny?"
Dunn didn't dodge. "She's still getting dressed."
Two people, one bathroom, and a long delay—anyone could guess what went down. Compared to young Dunn, Ovitz was the real veteran here. Stuff like this? He'd seen it all.
Sure enough, Ovitz didn't bat an eye. "Penny's career in Hollywood's been rough," he said with a sigh. "She even has to head back to Spain sometimes just to make ends meet."
"I can help her out," Dunn said, blinking as a thought hit him. "That call just now… more company stuff?"
Ovitz nodded. "Hollywood's a different beast than it was twenty years ago. Starting something new now? It's nothing like launching CAA back in the day."
Dunn hesitated, then went straight for it. "Michael, Hollywood's already got five big agencies. The market's pretty much tapped out."
"You think I don't know that?" Ovitz shook his head. "I'm just not ready to give up. The entertainment world's where I thrive—I don't want to leave it."
Dunn grinned, half-joking. "You can't leave! I'm counting on you to keep Disney in check."
Ovitz waved a hand confidently. "Don't worry about that. Unless it's the absolute last straw, I'm not going anywhere. Head to AG tomorrow and sign the contract, alright?"
"Deal. But I'm curious," Dunn said, eyeing him. "Back in the day, you built CAA with that 'package deal' model and changed the game. What's AG's big idea? If it's just the same old packaging, people will stick with CAA."
"Big idea?" A spark of proud confidence flashed across Ovitz's face. "This time, I've got something even bigger in mind!"
Dunn leaned in, intrigued. "Care to share?"
Ovitz hesitated, then sighed. "What's the point? If I can't snag top stars and sharp agents, even the grandest vision's just a pipe dream. It's all about the foundation—and right now, AG's got no base."
Dunn laughed. "You've got me, don't you? Am I not big enough?"
"You're plenty big," Ovitz admitted, "but one guy—even you—can't prop up a whole agency. Plus, with AG and Disney at each other's throats, we're missing a huge chunk of resources. That kills our pull."
Ovitz knew exactly what AG was up against.
In his past life, he'd never cracked this nut. Despite all his grand plans, he couldn't make it work without the right pieces.
By 2001, Michael Ovitz had walked away from AG, and the agency quickly faded into the Hollywood shuffle.
At 54, Ovitz was still in his prime—energy, experience, and skill all perfectly balanced.
For him to bow out of entertainment now? That'd be a real loss for Hollywood.
And Dunn needed him around to pull off the massive Universal Studios acquisition.
In the '90s, Ovitz had brokered Universal deals twice—first to Panasonic, then to Seagram. He had the chops.
So, no matter what, Dunn had to help him out, get him through this rough patch, and keep him in the game!
"Tell me about it," Dunn pressed. "Maybe I can lend a hand."
He knew helping Ovitz now was helping himself later.
Ovitz went quiet for a long moment before speaking slowly. "CAA's integrated packaging was something I cooked up with my partners back then. Now, I've got an idea to take it up a notch—upgrade it into a 'one-stop shopping' service!"
"One-stop shopping? What's that mean?"
"With integrated packaging, we'd supply a full crew—actors, directors, cinematographers, editors, you name it. One-stop shopping takes it further by filling in the gaps with investment funding!"
"Whoa!"
Dunn's jaw dropped.
Even with all his "worldly" experience from his past life, Ovitz's bold, creative twist still blew him away.
This guy was a titan for a reason—his ambition was unreal!
If Ovitz could pull this off, CAA, UTA, all the rest—they'd either collapse or have to reinvent themselves.
This "fill-the-investment-gap" service? It was a game-changer.
Hollywood studios had clout, sure, but movie money took forever to roll back in, leaving cash flow tight. Even a giant like 20th Century Fox nearly sold Titanic's rights to Paramount over a measly few million.
Finding investors and plugging budget holes? That was the lifeblood of most film companies.
Plenty of movies got greenlit because an actor brought cash to the table—landing the lead role and a producer credit to boot.
Take Fast and Furious: Vin Diesel secured funding, starred in the franchise, and shot from nobody to A-lister overnight.
If Ovitz could nail this "one-stop shopping" model, he'd be back on top, ruling Hollywood again—no question!
Just then, Penelope Cruz emerged, dressed in a flowing white pleated skirt that made her look like a Greek goddess—stunning and radiant.
A lingering flush still colored her cheeks, adding a sultry, irresistible charm.
"Wow, Penny, you look incredible!"
Dunn jumped up, arms wide, pulling her into a hug.
This Spanish beauty was something else—her killer curves had just given him a thrill Charlize Theron couldn't match, with that exotic flair driving him wild.
Penelope nestled into his arms, whispering in his ear, "You're too much. My legs are still shaky—you've got to hold me up."
To any guy, that's the sweetest compliment going.
Dunn stifled a laugh, murmuring back, "That was just the warm-up. Come home with me later—we'll go for three hundred rounds!"
"Three hundred?" She shot him a playful glare, biting her lip in that tempting way. "You were already at three thousand earlier!"
Dunn couldn't hold it in anymore and burst out laughing.
One arm wrapped tight around Penelope's soft waist, he tossed a casual remark over his shoulder. "Michael, let's hash out work stuff tomorrow. That 'one-stop shopping' idea? I think it's got legs, but the approach needs tweaking."
Ovitz blinked, caught off guard.
Was this kid for real? I barely mentioned "one-stop shopping," and he's already sold on it, saying it's got potential? He's not just buttering me up, is he?
Dunn didn't bother with Ovitz's stunned look. Humming a tune, he strolled off with Penelope in his arms.