Beverly Hills isn't some fancy estate—it's actually a city within Los Angeles, packed with celebs and loaded folks.
The Cruise estate up on South Hill has always been a hot spot for the media and paparazzi. They can't get enough of it!
Tom Cruise has some solid habits. After his early morning workout, he plopped down on a bamboo chair on the balcony, soaking in the sun. He grabbed the newspaper that'd been waiting for him on the coffee table.
Lately, though, he's been on the outs with Nicole Kidman, so he's been dreading the entertainment section. Still, work's work, and his professional side kicked in—he had to stay in the loop.
Flipping open the entertainment page of the *Los Angeles Times*, the headline screamed at him: "12 Days After Release, North American Box Office Surpasses $100 Million!"
It was his wife's movie. But with all the rumors swirling around, he wasn't exactly thrilled about it. Still, those numbers? So impressive he couldn't even feel jealous—just pure awe!
If *Titanic* had the backing of a massive budget and James Cameron steering the ship, then *My Big Fat Greek Wedding*'s success was straight-up proof of Dunn's raw talent.
It's not rare to see underdog success stories in Hollywood, but most of those directors stick to niche genres. Dunn's different. He can handle a romantic disaster flick like *Titanic*, then switch gears to a heartwarming drama like *My Big Fat Greek Wedding*, and even tackle a sci-fi action movie slated for next year…
A director with that kind of range? You're talking legends like Spielberg or Kubrick—only a handful in all of Hollywood can pull that off! Even James Cameron doesn't quite make the cut.
Tom had always had a sour impression of Dunn because of the rumors about his wife. But now, setting the paper down, he squinted, lost in thought.
"Those rumors… are they actually true?"
Dunn's been linked to plenty of actresses. From Tom's experience, most of those stories probably had some truth to them. But between Dunn and Nicole… was there really something going on?
"Dunn's only 20, and Nicole's 30!"
Tom's eyes snapped open. The more he thought about it, the more he figured a genius like Dunn—playboy or not—wouldn't make such a massive mistake.
"He's barely been in the game a few years. Would he really dare mess with Mrs. Cruise?"
Tom suddenly felt like he might've been too harsh on Dunn before. It's human nature, isn't it? When you're on the weaker side or need something from someone higher up, you start making excuses for your own shortcomings and their power.
He picked up the phone and dialed a number. Nicole's icy voice came through: "What's up?"
"Nicole, I think we need to talk."
"I don't see the point."
"No, no, Nicole, hear me out. I've been thinking a lot lately and realized I've had too many misunderstandings and biases about you." Tom's tone was humble, sincere.
Nicole hesitated, her voice softening a bit. "Are you serious?"
"Absolutely."
"I need a guarantee."
"Done. I guarantee it!" Tom's voice was firm. They chatted a bit more, thawing some of the frost between them. Then he added, "By the way, Nicole, you've worked with Dunn Walker before. Could you set up a meeting with him?"
Nicole raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "Dunn?"
"Yeah, all these reports in the papers have caused so many misunderstandings. I think a face-to-face could clear things up—keep the tabloids from stirring the pot and ruining a good thing."
"You're overthinking it. Dunn doesn't care about gossip like that."
"No, no, darling, I think it's necessary."
"I don't."
Nicole's tone was firm. Sure, she trusted Dunn's ability to brush off rumors, but more than that, she didn't want Dunn and Tom in a room together. It'd make her seriously uncomfortable.
Tom frowned, his voice dropping a bit. "Nicole, you know *Eyes Wide Shut* has already delayed the *Mission: Impossible* sequel for way too long."
The annoyance Nicole had just started to let go of came rushing back.
And just like that, she realized why he'd really called.
A wave of bitter disappointment hit her.
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She wanted to say no, flat-out refuse, but the words caught in her throat.
With a self-deprecating sigh, she thought maybe she'd help him out this once. Call it making up for her own guilt—or the mistakes she knew were coming down the road.
With *My Big Fat Greek Wedding* killing it at the box office and the media raving about her performance, the promise she'd made with Dunn felt more and more inevitable.
And lately, her career had exploded. Offers were pouring in—her agent had even turned down a bunch of $4-5 million roles, something she couldn't have imagined before. Now? She was commanding $8 million a picture!
She knew exactly who was behind this turnaround.
"Fine, I'll reach out to him. See if he's free tomorrow night," Nicole said, her voice flat, emotionless.
She was done with the "Mrs. Cruise" label. Done.
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Hollywood movies are an industrial machine—every role has its set boundaries. For directors, especially young ones, you don't even get to tweak the script on set. Wanna change a line? Sure, talk to the producer and snag a screenwriter credit—and the extra paycheck that comes with it.
At the end of the day, a director's job is to bring the producer's vision to life through the camera lens. It's a gig with way less power than people think.
The producer? They're the real heart of a movie.
Look at the *Avengers* series in my past life—proof that in Hollywood's assembly-line system, a director's just another worker bee. 🐝
Producers—or "makers," as the name suggests—handle post-production too: rendering, footage selection, editing, you name it. But it's a beast of a job, and since most producers oversee multiple projects at once, they often delegate. Some half-baked producers *have* to delegate.
Plenty of directors, though, want a say in post to keep their vision intact, and they're happy to take on some of that extra work.
For Dunn, though? Not even an issue!
The assistant producer he "carefully" picked for post-production, Morgan Carey, has a "production" stat of 98! With a heavyweight like that running things at Lucasfilm, Dunn doesn't have to lift a finger.
Plus, the movie's lead producer is George Lucas himself. That's next-level reassurance! With the old man keeping an eye on things, Dunn's confident that even if he skips out on post entirely, the final cut won't be half bad.
And Dunn's whole "I'll show up when I feel like it" vibe? It even earned him a pat on the back from Lucas, who called him humble, grounded, and wise beyond his years—someone destined for greatness.
Dunn couldn't help but chuckle when he heard that.
He just wanted to slack off a bit, but in Lucas's eyes, he's some noble kid who doesn't crave power. Too funny!
"Make bank and chill—what's better than being a director?" Dunn mused happily.
He knows post-production's the key to what hits the big screen—especially for a movie like *Star Wars*, which is basically all effects. But Dunn's not sweating it. A few differences in style, taste, or pacing? Not worth another argument with Lucas. As long as the big picture sticks to his plan—ditch the kiddie stuff, trim the dragged-out buildup, and amp up the flashy fight scenes—he's good.
Right now, Dunn's got his hands full anyway. Between tracking *My Big Fat Greek Wedding*'s North American box office, the Marvel Entertainment acquisition, the *Harry Potter* franchise rollout, and—oh yeah—a sneaky little system glitch, he's plenty busy.
According to the "Mirror Possession" rules, Dunn can "borrow" someone else's professional skills from the moment a movie starts production until the final cut's locked in. That means from June this year to March next year, while working on *Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace*, he'll have Steven Spielberg's expertise on tap.
But here's the thing: it's only early September. He's got almost half a year left to kill…
The "Mirror Possession" ability doesn't come easy. Dunn has to rack up $1 billion in global box office as a producer, director, or actor to unlock it just once. Right now, he's got zero in the bank. The next chance won't come until *The Phantom Menace* hits theaters.
So why not take advantage of this loophole? With Spielberg's skills at his disposal for the next six months, why not squeeze in another movie?
Dunn mulled it over for a while, and the more he thought about it, the more it made sense.
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