**Chapter 69: Opening Day Box Office**

*Saving Private Ryan* opened in 2,807 theaters, *Armageddon* in 3,184, *Godzilla* in 3,310, and *My Big Fat Greek Wedding* hit 3,080 screens—definitely earning its spot in the top tier!

As night fell, movie fans flocked to the theaters, buzzing with excitement to catch this long-awaited flick. 

That evening, every cinema scheduled at least one screening room for it, with showtimes at 7:00–9:00 PM and 9:00 PM–midnight—two screenings to keep the hype alive!

Nicole Kidman had already seen it overseas, but she couldn't resist the urge to go again. She roped in her Aussie pal Naomi Watts, and the two disguised themselves to check it out. 

The line at the entrance was packed with fans. Nicole's eyes drifted to the poster's tagline: "Dunn Walker and Nicole Kidman team up for an epic romantic love story—this summer, melt the ice and warm your heart!" 

It was different from the overseas version, clearly riffing off *Saving Private Ryan* without saying it outright—copyright issues, you know. 

Naomi whispered, "That slogan… it's kinda ambiguous, huh?"

Nicole shook her head. "You know how it is. The distributors only care about box office numbers. Whether it sparks weird assumptions? They couldn't care less."

"So… how's it going with *him*?" Naomi asked.

"Who? My husband?" 

Naomi rolled her eyes dramatically. "Duh, who else? Not Dunn—I don't even know him!"

"We're separated," Nicole replied casually. Then she caught a glint in Naomi's eye and stared at her. "Wait, are you asking me to introduce you to Dunn?"

Naomi grinned, totally owning it. "Yeah! Who in Hollywood *doesn't* want a connection to Dunn Walker?"

Nicole's perfect brows furrowed as she thought back to her time with Dunn. "Honey, don't treat Dunn like some kid. He's got a fierce edge to him."

Naomi shrugged, unfazed. "I know, I've read the papers. But it's different for me, Nicole. You're married, you're set. Me? I'm single and scraping by!"

"I'm sorry, Naomi. I haven't been much help since you came to Hollywood," Nicole sighed.

"No, I'm not blaming you," Naomi said quickly.

Nicole waved a hand lightly. "Let's head inside."

They stepped into the screening room—a VIP setup for 32 people—and it was packed. Nicole even spotted a few familiar faces in the crowd.

Soon, the room hushed. After the 20th Century Fox intro rolled, a dazzling new animation kicked off. This one was way more intricate and jaw-dropping than Fox's—a vast universe with swirling stars. 

Then came a wormhole effect, the screen fading to black as if time, space, matter, and galaxies vanished into an endless void.

But just when it got intense, a dawn-like glow broke through, paired with pounding drumbeats. Letters jumped onto the screen one by one: *d-u-n-k-i-n*… Dunn.

Then another word popped up after "dunkin"—"fil."

"Whoa, talk about flashy!" Naomi gasped, staring at Dunn Films' opening sequence.

The metaphor was obvious: Hollywood as a dark universe, Dunn Films as the shining dawn. Bold move! 

Nicole, who'd seen it plenty of times, just shrugged. "MGM's lion, Paramount's mountain—those aren't exactly subtle either."

"But this is…" Naomi trailed off.

Nicole leaned in close, whispering with a hint of mystery, "Never underestimate his ambition."

The movie started. First scene? Nicole Kidman staring into a mirror, looking downright pitiful.

Naomi could hear gasps ripple through the room. Was this really Hollywood's glamorous Nicole Kidman? 

Dunn Walker had the guts to make a beauty like her look *that* rough—talk about fearless!

As the story unfolded, the "ugly" Toula faced pressure from family, society, and culture. She powered through it all, earning cheers while quietly breaking hearts. You couldn't help but root for her to catch a break.

Then Ian Miller, the male lead, showed up—a high school teacher with a lively bunch of students. With their help, Toula learned to dress up, do makeup, and socialize. By her cousin's birthday party, she was stealing the show! 

"There's no such thing as an ugly woman—just a lazy one!" 

That line hit Naomi right in the feels.

She glanced at Nicole, who sat there all calm and composed, and a tiny pang of jealousy crept in. They were both Aussies—why did Nicole get to snag Tom Cruise first and now Dunn Walker's spotlight? Why her?

Watching Nicole's character go from rock bottom to radiant on screen, Naomi felt happy for her friend… but also a little bitter.

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The next day, entertainment headlines were all about *My Big Fat Greek Wedding*. Reviews were a mixed bag.

The *Los Angeles Times* ran a piece called "Warm as Ever, Love Like Old Times": "Compared to the brutal *Titanic*, Dunn Walker's latest is full of cozy vibes and gentle feels. His last film was a fiery romance; this one's a soothing stream. Hard to believe a twenty-year-old gets love this deep."

"No wild plot, no flashy effects, no tangled relationships—just a simple love story with funny cultural clashes. It's like a plain cup of tea that lingers on your tongue."

"Dunn uses bright visuals and bold looks to hammer home the theme. It's a bit of a shortcut, sure, but it hooks the audience fast. Spielberg once said big characters are easy to film because of their drama, while everyday folks are tougher to connect with. Dunn proves he can handle any story."

"And let's give a shoutout to Nicole Kidman! She ditches her usual stunning entrance, starting from the ground up and blooming step by step. It's a hope shot for girls everywhere. Dunn already gave us an Oscar winner in Kate Winslet—could Nicole be next? Maybe worth watching for!" 

But the stuffy *New York Times* was a hotbed of artsy critiques. They called the plot too far-fetched, saying Dunn sacrificed artistry for showmanship—a fatal flaw.

They were also dead sure that while *My Big Fat Greek Wedding* might rake in cash, it'd flop come awards season.

Praise or shade, Dunn didn't care. His eyes were on last night's premiere numbers.

Reese Witherspoon, still in her pajamas, grabbed the file from the maid, rubbed sleepy eyes, and then—bam!—her face lit up. She bolted over and threw herself into Dunn's arms.

"Hey, babe, what's the box office haul?"

"9.8 million dollars!"

*Saving Private Ryan* made $9.7 million on day one, *Armageddon* $9.6 million, *Godzilla* $4 million… For 1998, with a $15 million budget, *My Big Fat Greek Wedding* topped the U.S. charts on opening day! 🎉

Right on cue, Natalie called. "Dunn, I saw your movie—it's amazing!"

Hearing her barely-contained excitement, Dunn's heart warmed. "Thanks, Nat."

"Did the premiere numbers come in?"

"Yup, $9.8 million—number one this year!"

"Wow, that's incredible!" Natalie squealed. "Did Reese tell you?"

"Yeah, uh…" 

Dunn caught on quick—Natalie was fishing. It was early morning, and the Fox file went straight to his place. No way Reese, his assistant, was working this early.

"Hmph! Dunn, you're on your own!" 

Natalie huffed and slammed the phone down with a *bang*. 

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