It was late at night, and Jon Landau was still awake. As a producer, he needed to draw inspiration from various sources, and talk shows were one of them.
But tonight's "The Tonight Show" left him in a cold sweat.
"This is bad, really bad!"
Jon Landau's face was as pale as death. He had made several phone calls in a row, all to big names in Hollywood, hoping for a lifeline.
He had been in Hollywood for nearly twenty years. Could he really be brought down by a kid in his teens?
He didn't believe it! He simply couldn't believe it!
But the harsh reality made Jon Landau tremble with fear. Even old friends who had been very friendly in the past hung up on him the moment they heard his voice.
This was too much, wasn't it?
Could Dunn Walker, a rookie, really have such a big influence in Hollywood?
Anger makes people stupid, and madness makes people lose their reason. Jon Landau still hadn't figured out the root cause.
"Jamie, it's me!"
This was Jon Landau's last hope. James Cameron was an upright person. Surely he would give him an explanation, right?
Cameron was silent for a long time before he sighed, "Jon, you went too far."
"I went too far? Jamie, that's irresponsible of you to say! Did you watch 'The Tonight Show'? What did that kid say? He's implying that I poisoned the crew's meals!"
Jon Landau's tone was very agitated.
Cameron frowned, "Jon, was it really not you?"
"Jamie, do you not trust me either?" Jon Landau laughed bitterly. "And besides, what right does that kid have to say such things? What evidence does he have?"
Cameron sighed, "Dunn indeed doesn't have evidence, so he didn't explicitly accuse you of poisoning. But... Jon, you should reflect on this. You were fired by the crew. What evidence do you have against Don? Since there's no evidence, weren't your irresponsible comments in the newspapers wrong?"
Jon Landau's face changed colors unpredictably. When even Cameron spoke like this, he deeply realized the seriousness of the situation.
"Jon, your comments violated a taboo, do you understand? I don't know about the other major film companies, but I'm well aware of the situation at Fox. All the top executives agree that your issue must be dealt with seriously!"
After all, Cameron had been a close friend for many years. He spoke earnestly, though with disappointment.
Jon Landau fell silent, his eyelids twitching constantly. He finally understood the key issue and felt a chill run down his spine. "Jamie, you have to help me! I can apologize, in the newspapers, on TV, whatever it takes. I need a chance!"
Things had escalated to a point where Jon Landau had no choice but to back down.
Cameron's tone became heavier, "Jon, don't you get it? This is no longer just a personal grudge with Don! Outside, you already carry the stigma of poisoning and slander. In Hollywood, you're now a renegade challenging the rules!"
Jon Landau looked up at the sky, despair in his voice, "Jamie, what should I do now?"
"Leave Hollywood," Cameron said with a tone of resignation and reluctance. "Maybe after a few years, when this storm blows over, you can come back."
"Can I really come back?"
A bitter smile crossed Jon Landau's lips. He was a renowned producer in Hollywood. If he left, where else could he enjoy such power and status?
He deeply regretted his actions!
...
Jon Landau's issue was no longer something Dunn needed to worry about. He only had to light the spark; countless big names would naturally add fuel to the fire.
As a top-tier producer in Hollywood, Jon Landau's remarks, revealing the industry's dirty secrets to the media under his real name, were far more serious than Mel Gibson's insults against Jews.
Mel Gibson had only angered the Jewish community, but Jon Landau's enemy was the entire upper echelon of Hollywood!
This matter no longer interested Don.
However, riding this wave, "Titanic" received even broader publicity. The name Dunn Walker spread across every street and alley in America, just like Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.
Soon after, the box office numbers for the second week were officially released. As Dunn had predicted, "Titanic" saw a rise in ticket sales in its second week, breaking the $100 million mark and reaching $101.58 million!
This was the first time in nearly a century of Hollywood history that a movie had grossed over $100 million in a single week!
Even more terrifying was that this was the second-week box office!
"Don, you're amazing, absolutely incredible! It's hard to believe you're not even twenty yet. Who knows what heights you'll reach in the future!" Bill Mechanic called immediately to congratulate him, his voice filled with gratitude.
"Bill, you're too kind," Dunn was also delighted. His presence had proven his worth, and *Titanic* had completely taken a different path from its previous life. "How's the international box office?"
Bill replied excitedly, "The international box office is gaining momentum as well, reaching $1.2 billion. I believe it will soon surpass the North American box office. Once it releases in the UK, Germany, France, Japan, and Australia, there will definitely be another miraculous surge!"
Bill Mechanic was now very confident. With the second-week box office surpassing $100 million, what else could be impossible?
He was even looking forward to Don's previous predictions: $1.8 billion was the baseline, and $2 billion was the goal!
"Is Spielberg's movie releasing next week?"
Bill chuckled, "Dinosaurs might be mighty, but they can't beat our big ship, right?"
Dunn smiled, "Of course, I've always said so! Even if *Jurassic Park 2* has a strong short-term burst, in the long run, we have no competition!"
Bill was very satisfied, "Indeed, Don. I've always trusted your judgment—past, present, and future!"
That was a bit of flattery, but Dunn didn't mind. "I understand, and I've always been grateful to you, Bill."
…
On Thursday night, the premiere of *Jurassic Park 2: The Lost World* was held grandly at the Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles.
With Steven Spielberg's reputation and influence in the industry, the stars gathered at this premiere were in no way inferior to those at the *Titanic* premiere half a month earlier.
Since Spielberg had attended the *Titanic* premiere, Dunn and Leonardo also dressed up for the occasion. Kate Winslet, however, had returned to the UK due to personal reasons and couldn't attend.
At the last premiere, Steven Spielberg had arrogantly ignored Don, but the situation was completely different now.
*Titanic* had been in theaters for half a month, and the North American box office had already accumulated hundreds of millions of dollars, with no signs of a sharp decline in the box office trend.
At this rate, the North American box office surpassing $500 million seemed inevitable!
It's worth noting that the previous North American box office record of $4.4 billion was held by Spielberg's *Jurassic Park*.
Steven Spielberg certainly didn't like the idea of a young newcomer stepping on him to rise, but isn't that just the way of the world? Didn't he also step over a lot of people in his rise to fame?
Spielberg felt a bitter tinge in his heart, but he could no longer treat Dunn as a mere up-and-comer, especially after Cameron repeatedly affirmed Dunn contributions to *Titanic*.
"Hey, Don, long time no see!"
Spielberg greeted Dunn from afar as if they were old friends.
As a guest and a junior, Dunn naturally responded warmly, "Hello, Steven. I've always admired you; you're my idol!"
When someone shows you kindness, Dunn always reciprocates with friendliness.
"The success of *Titanic* is outstanding. I'm almost envious!" Spielberg said half-jokingly.
Dunn shook his head, "Not at all! *Jurassic Park 2* directed by you is bound to set a new box office record!"
"Oh? $1.8 billion as a baseline?" Spielberg clearly wasn't too pleased and took a jab at Don.
Dunn wasn't fazed, responding earnestly, "That might be difficult. *Titanic* is a legend that's hard to replicate."
Spielberg's expression darkened slightly.
It was an unpleasant conversation.
Leonardo, standing by, was taken aback. He couldn't believe that his good friend Dunn already had the clout to go head-to-head with a Hollywood legend like Steven Spielberg!
"Alright, Don, I think the premiere is about to start. Let's head inside," Leonardo quickly intervened to defuse the tension.
Dunn gave Spielberg a polite smile before walking into the theater without showing any emotion.
"Don, was that wise? He's Spielberg!" Leonardo whispered nervously.
Dunn smirked with a hint of disdain, "So what? I can't stand these arrogant, self-important old-timers! As long as he doesn't mess with me, we're fine. But if he dares to provoke me… hmph!"
Leonardo was so startled that he didn't dare say another word.
Throughout Hollywood, perhaps only Dunn Walker would dare to talk about Spielberg like this. Luckily, these words didn't get out!
…
About halfway through the movie, Dunn yawned out of boredom and leaned over to whisper to Leonardo, "This movie is so dull, it's not even…"
He stopped mid-sentence.
Leonardo was sitting to his left, but Dunn was speaking to his right…
And sitting to Dunn right was none other than Martin Scorsese, Spielberg's good friend and a renowned Hollywood director.
Dunn was a bit taken aback, feeling awkward. "Hey, Martin…"
Martin Scorsese glanced at Don, suppressing a smile, "Kid, to be honest, I've always hated these brainless commercial films that rely on special effects."
Dunn thought about a few of Scorsese's works, nodded, and suddenly had an idea. "By the way, I think Leo's acting style would fit well with yours. You two should get to know each other."
Leonardo was so moved by Dunn words that he nearly teared up—what a good brother!
Martin Scorsese gave Leonardo a once-over and nodded, "There will be opportunities."