When director and auteur David Lynch passed away earlier this year, we collectively lost one of the most brilliant minds in the history of film and storytelling. His last major project was “Twin Peaks: The Return” limited series in 2017. He being the creative powerhouse he was, continued pursuing ideas, and even making content online. Still, the man had plans for doing something more than just reporting the local weather, and part of those plans may be published for the world to experience.
Co-CEO of Netflix Ted Sarandos said he had been contacted by the director about making a limited series for Netflix. He didn’t specify any further details, but there were things that got in the way of the production happening; presumably COVID-19 and Lynch’s own health issues. Whatever ideas Lynch had we’ll obviously never get to see, but his family is considering doing something to share some of what David had planned by publishing what he had written for the series.
Filmmaker and director Jennifer Lynch, daughter of David, revealed the name of the series was going to be “Unrecorded Night.” She also said while casting hadn’t officially started, she was confident Kyle MacLachlan would’ve been part of it. There was also a chance for Laura Dern and Naomi Watts to have appeared as well. As Jennifer put it regarding her father, “he liked to play with his friends.”
That feeling was clearly mutual as well as it seemed like they all loved working with him.
“We are considering offering [“Unrecorded Night“] as a published piece, so that people can sit with his ideas,” Jennifer said. “It would be very sad if people didn’t get to see it.” Lynch loved to create ideas and not necessarily explain everything. While it’s still bittersweet that we’ll never be able to see this final project in the way it was intended, getting to see any of it at all will likely be a reminder of why David Lynch was such a remarkable and distinct creative force.
Jennifer also supports the notion that her father was still very creatively active and wanting to work in the months leading up to his passing. “He found himself mentally able to do things, but he was having a hard time breathing,” she said. “He was working on his archives, and they are almost done.”
