David Lynch changed the face of cinema with films like "Blue Velvet" and "Mulholland Drive," and changed the parameters of television with "Twin Peaks." From one project to the next, he continues to blend the surreal and nightmarish with the wholesome and quaint, immersing himself in the gray area between idyllic portraits of small-town America and the danger and mystery that lurk underneath. But almost as notable as his filmography is the number of projects he's been involved in or rumored to be considering, including adaptations of books like Kafka's "The Metamorphosis" and the best-selling "The White Hotel," more than anyone his age. Many directors are more picky. ” and even met with George Lucas to discuss the prospect of directing Return of the Jedi .
Many unrealized projects feature themes—or, like Mulholland Drive, even begin in a different form—that are revived or reimagined in other projects years later. Others stem from frankly bizarre "Lynchian" ideas, such as "Three guys who were once cows, wandering around Van Nuys ("Bull Dreams") or "A bunch of guys digging a hole" ("Cow Dreams") Happy Worker").
It's no surprise that studios — not to mention audiences — aren't ready for some of these projects. But in the wake of Lynch's death on Thursday, it's worth speculating wildly about what they might have become, even if we never know which ones might have joined the unique filmmaker's canon of avant-garde classics.
Lynch had the Log in his mind years before Ms. Log became a beloved character on Twin Peaks. While filming 1977's Eraserhead, Lynch reportedly told his collaborator Katherine E. Coulson that he had a photo of her holding a large log. He had an idea for an interview show called "I Will Test My Log on Every Branch of Knowledge," but the offbeat idea didn't go anywhere — until the character became memorable on "Twin Peaks." The earth is resurrected.
One of Lynch's most memorable unrealized projects dates back to his "Eraserhead" days. "Ronnie Rocket" tells the story of a detective trying to enter another dimension and is hunted by the "Donut Man", and will also star Michael J. Anderson, who later played a character from another world in "Twin Peaks" people of the place. When financing failed, he turned to The Elephant Man. Lynch stayed true to his vision for the sci-fi fantasy film, telling Indiewire as late as 2013 that the film could still be made.
Lynch's best-known and most critically panned film is Dune, a film that was a commercial and critical failure and was well-received by posterity even during the release of Denis Villeneuve's critically acclaimed adaptation. Moviegoers' reappraisal. In a 1990 interview with David Breskin, he reflected: “Looking back, it was no one’s fault but my own. ... I see countless possibilities for things that I love, and that's the structure to achieve them, and there's enough space to create a world. Laurentiis had a strong indication of the type of movie they wanted, and I knew I didn't have the final cut yet." Although he told Breskin he was thankful he didn't have to make a sequel, he admitted, "I'm really excited. Like Dune II. "I wrote about half the script, maybe more, and I'm really excited about it. It's a tighter, better story. "
Lynch first conceived the animated feature in the early 2000s, and it was co-written by Caroline Thompson ("Edward Scissorhands," "Welcome to Marwen"). He insists the project tells more of an "old-fashioned" story, but its premise is unsurprising: "It blew my mind how weird it was," he told Deadline in April 2024. There is a ceremonial transition at eight years of age, when they become smaller and are sent away for a year to be protected. When the story's arrogant hero disappears under the carpet and his family can't find him, the world is thrown into chaos and he enters a world of madness and grandeur. Although Lynch revealed last year that Netflix executives rejected his "outlandish" pitch, he expressed optimism that he could still make the film, which would mark his first feature-length animated project. "I love the story," he said. "I've never really done direct animation, but with computers today you can do some amazing things," he said. "
Since the release of "Inland Empire" in 2006, Lynch has not only directed all 18 episodes of "Twin Peaks: The Return", but also directed multiple music videos and dozens of short films. Despite "Snootworld," Lynch revealed in his 2018 memoir "Room to Dream" that he wrote the feature film, which allegedly blended mythological elements from "Inland Empire" and "Mulholland Drive." The script summary explains that it's "a narrative fantasy that blends space aliens, talking animals, and troubled musician Pinky; it left a lasting impression on everyone who read it, "It's one of the best scripts Lynch has ever written." Although the filmmaker announced in 2024 that he would not be able to direct the project himself due to being diagnosed with emphysema, Lynch stressed that he was working on other projects. Aspects are in great shape and are clearly not retiring.
In March 2022, casting notes for Lynch's project were confirmed in an industry publication, which sought a "dark-haired actress in her 20s" and said the role would require "tasteful nudity." In November 2020, Production Weekly listed a new limited series from Lynch under the working title "Wisteria," whose true title was later revealed to be "Undocumented Nights." Lynch planned to write and direct 13 episodes with a budget of $85 million, and hired "Lost Highway" and "Mulholland Drive" cinematographer Peter Deming as the cinematographer. ("Wisteria" was later revealed to be Netflix's "codename" for the project to keep it secret.)
According to conversations with Deming in November 2021, the project was paused due to the coronavirus pandemic, but at the time he said it was "assuming it would be revived at some point." In May 2024, Lynch's longtime producer Sabrina Sutherland participated in an online Q&A on the Tulpa Forum, where she stated that Lynch was busy with other projects. "There's always an opportunity for us to pick it up again, but David has always enjoyed his artwork and music career, so we haven't gone back yet," she said.
Lynch's many other projects include: