Hollywood: titanic director

Things between Dunn Pictures and Warner Bros. were going great—*The Chronicles of Narnia* had already started filming. 

With *Spider-Man* lighting up the box office, Marvel's superheroes were on the rise. The latest stats showed Spider-Man crushing Superman by a landslide and trailing just slightly behind Batman, making him America's second-favorite superhero. 

On top of that, the movie sparked a craze for a book—*Harry Potter*. In *Spider-Man*, the shameless plug for *Harry Potter* was so over-the-top it drew flak from nitpicky media folks and critics. But the more they griped, the bigger *Harry Potter* got.

Before this, the first three books in the series had built a decent following among kids, thanks to their easy language and straightforward plots—classic children's reads. But *Spider-Man*'s boost sent the series soaring among teens too. 

By its fourth week, *Spider-Man*'s hype had cooled a bit, but it had already piled up $390 million in North America and $550 million overseas—$940 million worldwide. That locked it in as the year's box office champ. 

In the latest *New York Times* bestseller list for the past week, the *Harry Potter* series made history, landing in the top ten for the first time: 

- #3: *Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone* 

- #4: *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets* 

- #7: *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban* 

The newest book, *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*, had hit shelves in the UK, but it wasn't out in the U.S. yet. Dealers said it'd land in North America on August 1st. Teens hooked on this magical fantasy world were already kicking off a buying frenzy.

Dunn's influence through movies was shining through in a big way. 

Right now, J.K. Rowling was working on the fifth book, but Dunn had passed word through David Heyman to slow her roll. For the past few years, Rowling had churned out a book a year, driven by financial pressures to rake in royalties. Now, with *Spider-Man* supercharging *Harry Potter*'s sales, she wasn't strapped for cash anymore—she could chase bigger opportunities. And compared to book sales, movies were the real jackpot. 

Syncing up with Dunn Pictures' film plans was her top priority now. But she and Dunn weren't the only ones keeping tabs on *Harry Potter*—Warner Bros. was too. They held priority partnership rights for Dunn Pictures' *Harry Potter* movies. Sure, it was "priority," but for Warner, it might as well have been a done deal.

With Dunn Pictures already clashing with Disney and Fox, there was no way they'd risk ticking off Warner too. Warner called up, asking when Dunn planned to kick off the *Harry Potter* project. Luckily, Dunn had a solid excuse: Dunn Pictures had a lot of big films in the pipeline this year, so it'd have to wait. Plus, *Harry Potter* was just starting to catch fire—its fanbase needed more time to simmer.

Dunn's confidence was rock-solid. Warner Bros. was currently caught up in an internal power struggle. The dot-com crash had hit Yahoo hardest, and they were courting Warner Bros. Entertainment's chairman and CEO, Terry Semel, to step in as their board chairman and CEO to pull them out of the mess. Semel hadn't said yes yet, but everyone knew his exit was coming. 

Warner might be a Hollywood heavyweight, but compared to a shiny new internet giant like Yahoo, it didn't have the same pull. The top spot Semel would leave behind was up for grabs, with Warner Bros.' vice chairman and administrative president Barry Meyer duking it out with president and COO Alan Horn. For Warner's execs, the power game was the priority—content operations were taking a backseat.

After brushing off Warner's inquiry, Dunn finally welcomed a team from Germany's famed Lürssen shipyard—design and model-building experts. Five of them—four guys and one woman—showed up at his office lugging a big suitcase. They popped it open and pulled out yacht parts, assembling a sleek, luxurious private yacht model right in front of him.

A month and a half ago, Lürssen had started designing a yacht for a big client like Dunn. They'd hashed out blueprints over fax, and now here was the real deal in model form. 

"I don't know much about yachts," Dunn said. "The details are up to you guys." 

He loved the model—elegant lines, sharp style. He'd seen the blueprints ages ago, but seeing it in 3D was a whole different vibe. 

The Lürssen expert walked him through it. "The yacht's got five levels. Bottom's the engine room and machinery. Second level's a submarine dock, plus space for five speedboats. Third's all entertainment—bar, disco, restaurant, dance floor, med bay, gym, pool, you name it. Fourth's the living area—eight suites for about 20 guests, plus a small garden. Top floor's the owner's suite, over 4,000 square feet, with a sea-view walkway. The master bedroom's ceiling retracts so you can sleep under the stars."

Dunn remembered something Natalie had mentioned. "Oh, do you guys include a helicopter?"

"We'll provide a submarine, but the helicopter's a separate order from a specialty company. It'd park on the sports deck. Mr. Walker, this yacht's 125 meters long—hands down the longest, prettiest, most luxurious private yacht in the world right now."

Dunn gave a faint smile. World's biggest? That wouldn't last long. With guys like Larry Ellison, Roman Abramovich, and Middle Eastern tycoons jumping in, private yachts were only going to get bigger, pricier, and flashier. His "Nat"—named after Natalie—came with a helicopter, submarine, speedboats, and interior fittings, clocking in at $210 million. Construction would take at least 25 months—a massive investment. By comparison, the plane he'd ordered from Gulfstream, including upgrades and decor, was a steal at $38 million.

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*Gone in 60 Seconds* bombed at the box office, but for various reasons, Michael Eisner didn't swing the axe—Joe Roth got a second chance. Roth knew he had to seize it. This time, *Unbreakable* couldn't flop.

Director M. Night Shyamalan? Solid. Star Samuel L. Jackson? No issues. The wildcard? Bruce Willis. 

Last year, the Golden Club scandal blew up, and Willis was caught in the muck with no clear explanation. Thankfully, bigger names got tangled up later, shifting the media's spotlight. But this year, a cheating scandal during his marriage hit the headlines, tanking his already shaky rep even further. 

The priority now was damage control. If Willis stirred up more drama when *Unbreakable* dropped and it hurt the box office, it'd be a disaster.

"Bruce, have you sorted out your personal mess yet?" Joe Roth called him up, his tone sharp.

Ever since the cheating scandal broke, Roth had laid into him: get divorced, fast! Willis and his wife had been separated for over two years—dragging it out was killing his image. 

Bruce Willis sounded like he might cry. "We're talking… her demands…"

"I don't care what she's asking for—deal with it!" Roth snapped. "You can't let your personal crap tank this movie's box office. You're an actor—movies are your life, not that money!" 

Willis hadn't signed a prenup, which was why he and his wife, separated for two years, were still legally hitched—he couldn't afford the divorce payout. Now, with the cheating scandal out there, he was screwed. If it went to court, it'd be a straight 50-50 split, no excuses. Cheating was a big deal in the U.S.—no judge or jury would let him off easy.

After 20 years grinding in Hollywood—hustling favors, investing, managing money—Willis had scraped together $380 million. Divorce would slice that in half, handing over $190 million. How could he stomach that? 

Last year, *The Sixth Sense* blew up, and Willis pocketed over $65 million from profit shares. He was so hyped he threw a three-day rager, inviting everyone. Who'd have thought a year later he'd be staring down a $200 million hit?

Back when he'd blasted Dunn's *Wedding Crashers*, he'd been riding high—*The Sixth Sense* was a smash, and he didn't give a damn about the Golden Club mess. But this summer, Dunn struck again, and he didn't pull punches.

Hearing Roth's threatening tone, Willis could barely speak. If he'd thought twice back then—if he hadn't taken Roth's advice and trashed *Wedding Crashers*—he wouldn't have crossed Dunn. Maybe he wouldn't be facing this divorce nightmare now.

"Sigh…" Bruce Willis let out a long, bitter breath, his face a mask of regret.

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