Brian Roberts looked at Dunn. "What do you mean?"
Honestly, he was grateful to Dunn but didn't think much of his capabilities.
Dunn knew his limits well. He understood that his biggest asset wasn't Dunn Films—it was his movies!
"So, do you think this movie's gonna be a hit?" Dunn asked with a cheeky grin, suddenly switching topics.
Brian Roberts didn't answer right away, keeping his guard up.
Kevin Hall chuckled. "Your movies are always box office gold! I heard Disney and Fox shifted their release schedules to try and snipe you. Talk about shooting themselves in the foot! Those three trailers you dropped? They've already hooked plenty of eyes—fans are gonna eat it up. Next month, I'm dragging my son to the theater for sure."
Dunn laughed. "Lately, though, I've been caught in a bit of a PR storm. Not the best look, huh?"
Brian Roberts waved a hand dismissively. "Your movie's out at the end of next month. That's over a month away—plenty of time to turn the tide. Didn't you just strike a deal with Warner? With Time Warner and Comcast teaming up for promo, we'll get your public image sparkling again, no sweat! "
Kevin Hall nodded. "Exactly! You pay your taxes, you've given America one blockbuster after another, and now you're facing some moral witch hunt? That's just unfair."
Dunn grinned. "Thanks, guys! But that's not what I'm getting at. If this thing takes off, it's gonna lift the whole Marvel superhero scene with it!"
"Hmm, yeah, makes sense."
The three of them nodded, though their eyes flickered with suspicion, unsure where Dunn was going with this.
"Here's my pitch," Dunn said, leaning in. "With this wave behind us, Dunn Films wants to team up with Viacom to create a bunch of Marvel hero cartoons for kids. Problem is, we don't have much of a connection with Viacom—so I'd need you guys to play middleman."
Kevin Hall's eyes lit up as he caught on. "Wait, you mean… bring Marvel cartoons to Nickelodeon?"
Viacom and Dunn Films were both big Comcast clients. Their interests aligned with Comcast's.
Plus, this was a golden chance to stick it to their rival, Disney.
If Dunn Films and Viacom could join forces to take on Disney Channel's kids' programming, Comcast wouldn't mind giving a little push to make it happen.
"Exactly!" Dunn flashed his signature sunny smile, radiating confidence. "Disney's been eating into Nickelodeon's live-action sitcom market, right? Instead of just playing defense, why not strike back? Nickelodeon could hit the animation market hard."
Brian Roberts and Kevin Hall exchanged a glance, stunned.
What was Dunn up to?
Was this just petty revenge against Disney? He was giving away way too much for that.
Not to mention, if this blew up, the Marvel superhero rights would be worth a fortune! Kids' cartoons—cheaply made as they are—couldn't even cover the licensing fees.
"So, what's your ask?" Brian Roberts stared at Dunn, digging for the real motive. He was sure it wasn't about money.
Dunn had burned bridges with Disney, handed Tarz TV over to Comcast to run, and now he was stepping in to help Viacom save Nickelodeon. With all that on the table, if this was just about cash, his vision would be way too small.
Dunn held up three fingers. "I've got three requests."
"Let's hear 'em."
"First, I want Viacom's media—B Group, Paramount Pictures, all of it—to kick into gear and clean up my image. I need to bounce back from this PR mess ASAP."
"Easy enough."
Truth be told, Brian Roberts was already planning to pull strings and help Dunn out, even without the ask.
Dunn's personal image tied directly to Tarz TV's future. More Tarz subscribers meant more users for Comcast to manage—pure win for them.
Dunn didn't hesitate. "Second, I've got big plans for Tarz TV. Users are king, so I want Comcast to bundle it with some sweet promo deals. Especially on operating costs—I'd love for users to get free service fees for the first three years."
That wasn't some wild demand; it was standard for third-party channels signing with operators.
"No problem!" Brian Roberts shot Dunn a puzzled look. What was this kid really after?
Then came the third request—and it finally clicked.
"Nickelodeon's under crazy pressure from Disney Channel," Dunn said. "I'd even bet that within five years, Disney's deeper content library will dominate the kids' TV market. Warner's Cartoon Network won't even keep up. So, I want Dunn Films to partner with Viacom—I'll handle content, they'll handle operations. Together, we run Nickelodeon and take on Disney!"
The room went quiet. These were sharp guys—they got it instantly. Dunn wanted a stake in Nickelodeon!
No wonder he was so chill about tossing Marvel rights into the mix!
A stake in Nickelodeon?
Brian Roberts' gut reaction: Doable!
Viacom was publicly traded. Protecting profits and dodging risks was their top priority.
Giving up a chunk of Nickelodeon could cut Viacom's future risks, bring in cash, and lock in a top-tier content partner. Why not?
"How much equity are you eyeing?"
"Half," Dunn said. "Dunn Films and Viacom co-manage the channel. Split the duties, split the risks."
Nickelodeon was a basic cable channel, light on original content, with no DVD or video revenue. It lived off subscription fees and ads—30 million U.S. subscribers at just $0.99 a month.
Dunn wasn't in it to profit off Nickelodeon itself, especially with Viacom running the show.
His stake was about countering Disney—and making money through content.
Dunn Films would produce the cartoons and push them through Nickelodeon. He'd keep the TV rights cheap, but the DVD and video sales? Straight to his pocket.
Even bigger, he wanted to train his own animation team through this gig.
Brian Roberts mulled it over. "Comcast's a Viacom shareholder and their biggest partner, but this is still Viacom's call. I'll pass your proposal along and push for it, but you'll have to wait."
"No rush—plenty of time," Dunn said, standing up to leave. "For now, my image is the priority."
Brian Roberts burst out laughing.
Bill McNick stared at Dunn, wide-eyed. "Wait, what? You're buying into Nickelodeon?"
Dunn grinned. "Yep! It's a win-win for Dunn Films. Animation's always been our weak spot. Jumping straight into animated movies? No way—not without five or six years of tech buildup. Starting with cartoons lets us gain experience, ease the pressure on our animation department, and train our own talent."
"Viacom, though… Sumner Redstone's a stubborn old goat," Bill said, shaking his head with a grimace.
Dunn smirked. "Without Dunn Films, Nickelodeon's just a stepping stone for Disney Channel! If Redstone and B Group's execs have half a brain, they'll say yes."
Bill frowned. "It's risky, Dunn. You're up against Disney."
"I know, they've got the Disney Princess lineup—animation royalty," Dunn said with a casual shrug. "That's why I'm partnering up. If I was cocky enough to crush Disney Channel solo, I'd have pushed for a full buyout."
"What's your plan for the cartoon content?"
"Start with Marvel—low-age stuff, just for kids, no ties to the movies," Dunn said, then paused with a grin. "Oh, by the way, last time you mentioned reaching out to Hasbro about Transformers movie rights. Any progress?"
Bill groaned. "I've been swamped. Where's the time for that?"
Dunn chuckled, unfazed. "Get on it! I've got an idea—bundle up Hasbro's toy rights. Transformers, G.I. Joe, Micronauts, Visionaries, M.A.S.K., Cosmo Knights, New Age Warriors. We want comic rights, animation rights, TV rights, movie rights—the works!"
Bill's eyes popped open as it hit him. "Dunn, you're saying… combine all seven into a comic universe, like Marvel's superheroes, then adapt them into cartoons, TV, and movies?"
"Exactly!"
Dunn wasn't sure it'd work. He just knew Transformers movies had crushed it globally. "Start with Marvel turning them into comics, then make kid-friendly cartoons to build an audience. Special effects suck right now, but in seven or eight years, tech'll catch up. Today's kids? Tomorrow's ticket sales! "
He wasn't dumb enough to dive straight into movies.
Cartoons were cheap—perfect for testing the waters with comics and animation first.
Bill was floored by the vision. He'd heard Dunn talk about an "Avengers" plan, but now a "Hasbro Alliance" too?
The IP craze hadn't hit in 2000, but Dunn's idea sparked something in Bill. "If we're taking on Disney, why not snag Barbie too? Compared to Transformers, Barbie's the world's top toy!"
"Barbie?"
Dunn's eyes lit up. Genius!
Disney's ace was the Disney Princess series—decades old and still a girl's dream.
The only counter? A Barbie Princess spinoff!
"Sold! Let's do it!"
Dunn slammed his hand down, buzzing with excitement. Looked like he'd just found Disney's weak spot.