The Minority Report is an adaptation of the famous sci-fi writer Philip K. Dick's work of the same name, with the rights owned by 20th Century Fox. This marks the first collaboration between Steven Spielberg and 20th Century Fox.
Two years ago, Spielberg and Tom Cruise had already agreed to team up for this film. But with both of them being so busy, things got delayed.
Now, everything's set—the movie project is confirmed and slated to start filming in mid-July.
As the chosen female lead, Natalie is really taking her first collaboration with a big director like Spielberg seriously. She's been holed up in the study all day, poring over the script, barely stepping outside.
This morning, Dunn woke up and, as usual, found the beautiful figure beside him gone, leaving only a faint trace of her fragrance.
After a quick wash, Dunn headed straight to the study. Sure enough, there was Natalie—but something was off. She looked dejected, her lips pursed, and the moment she saw Dunn, her eyes instantly turned red.
Dunn's heart skipped a beat. He rushed over, pulled her into his arms, and gently coaxed her, "I'm sorry, it's my fault. I promise, from now on, I'll stay by your side every night and stop messing around with the others."
Natalie sniffled, tears welling up, looking pitiful enough to melt anyone's heart. "No… it's not about you…"
As she spoke, the tears started streaming down her face.
Dunn's brows shot up, anger flashing across his face. "Not me? Then who? Tell me, I'll handle it for you!"
Natalie shook her head gently, tears glistening on her cheeks, making her look even more delicate and lovely.
Dunn's heart ached even more. He held her tighter. "What's going on? Come on, tell me—maybe I can fix it."
After a few more sobs, Natalie finally whispered, "It's… it's about the movie."
"The movie?"
Dunn froze, almost in disbelief.
Who in the film industry would dare mess with Natalie? Even if they didn't care about her, they'd have to respect him! Dunn's authority in the movie world was enough to make every friend around him proud to be associated with him.
Natalie bit her lip. "I just got a call from Hilda. She said… she said…"
Her voice broke into sobs again.
Dunn's temper flared. He didn't know the details yet, but he was sure of one thing—someone in the industry had messed with Natalie! And that was unacceptable.
Without a second thought, he grabbed his phone and dialed Natalie's agent, Hilda Quirly. The moment she picked up, he let loose. "Hilda, are you serious? I handed Nat's contract to you because I trusted your skills, because I thought you'd take good care of her. And this is your answer?"
On the other end, Hilda could only manage a bitter laugh. "Dunn, I… you've got it all wrong. I fought hard for this, I really did. There's just nothing more I can do!"
"What's going on?"
"You don't know?"
"Just answer me!"
Dunn's tone was icy and firm.
Even Michael Eisner had to back down in the film world when it came to Dunn. He couldn't fathom who'd have the guts to cross him. Everyone knew Natalie Portman was his girlfriend—who'd dare make her feel like this?
Feeling the heat of Dunn's anger, Hilda quickly explained, "Here's the deal: two days ago, the Minority Report crew sent out a notice saying they're dropping Nat as the female lead…"
"Wait!" Dunn cut her off, stunned. "What did you just say? Minority Report? Didn't she already sign the contract?"
Hilda sighed helplessly. "Boss, the movie hasn't started shooting yet. You know how it works—these are just preliminary agreements, no legal weight."
"Two days ago? Why am I only hearing about this now?"
"I've been trying to fix it these past two days, fighting to turn things around," Hilda said with a heavy sigh. "I know how much Nat cares about this movie. She was so excited to work with Spielberg, and she's been working her butt off. I didn't want to let her down."
Dunn's eyes narrowed. "So… your efforts didn't pay off?"
"Ugh," Hilda let out a long, frustrated sigh, clearly at her wit's end.
Dunn's brows furrowed, veins popping on his neck. "Who's behind this? 20th Century Fox? Spielberg?"
"Neither!"
"Huh?"
"It's Tom Cruise."
"What?"
Dunn couldn't believe his ears.
Hilda explained slowly, "Tom Cruise is the male lead for Minority Report. He's a huge star, the movie's biggest draw, and his production company's even chipping in some investment. As a producer, he's got the final say."
Dunn was still reeling. "You're telling me… Tom Cruise won't let Nat be the female lead? Where does he get the nerve?"
"Yeah," Hilda said, shaking her head. "He's the star of Minority Report, and the whole film's built around him. He says he doesn't vibe with Nat, that they can't fake a romance on-screen, no chemistry. 20th Century Fox and Spielberg obviously want to prioritize the movie's quality."
"Bullshit!" Dunn exploded, hanging up and slamming his phone down so hard it shattered into pieces.
Bang! The Motorola phone broke apart on impact.
"Sweetheart?" Natalie's soft voice came from his arms as she leaned into him gently. "Don't be mad."
"I'm fine," Dunn said, patting her back. "Don't worry, I'll take care of this."
Just then, the study door creaked open, and Rose Byrne poked her head in cautiously. Normally, she'd never barge in like this, but the commotion inside was too loud to ignore.
Dunn waved her over. "Rose, take Nat for some breakfast, then maybe head out for a bit—shopping, a walk, a movie. Or fly to Europe for a few days if you want. Call Penny if you'd like—she can take you guys to Spain to soak in the vibes."
"Sweetheart, I…" Natalie started.
Dunn cut her off with a quick kiss and a pat on the back. "Go on, clear your head. I've got this."
Natalie pouted but couldn't resist Dunn's firm gaze. "Fine, but I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying in LA," she mumbled.
Rose grinned. "That works! How about we check out Palm Springs?"
…
Once the study quieted down, Dunn's face darkened, a storm brewing in his expression.
Tom Cruise. That guy really had a death wish.
Their beef went back years, starting with the whole Nicole Kidman mess. Dunn had always held back a little out of guilt.
But now? Dunn's status in Hollywood was untouchable—way beyond what any actor could challenge.
Yet somehow, Tom Cruise, with his zero emotional IQ, had the guts to pull this stunt.
Using his clout to push Natalie out of the cast? That was crossing a line.
This time, Dunn was done holding back. He was pissed.
He'd watched Natalie pour her heart into studying that script these past few weeks.
And now, out of nowhere, the female lead role was gone?
It was a slap in the face.
No matter what, he was going to fix this!