David Lynch Spoke to Naomi Watts and Laura Dern About New Project Last Fall: “He Was Not, In Any Way, Done”

It’s now been just over two months since we lost one of the great artists of our time. In the weeks following David Lynch’s shocking death, many have found solace in revisiting his works, with theaters holding repertory screenings and his collaborators sharing words of remembrance. After many rumors, we now have confirmation from one of his most trusted friends that the 78-year-old filmmaker was preparing to embark on a new project.

Speaking to the LA Times, Naomi Watts recalled visiting the director in November, just a few months prior to his death. “We had a beautiful lunch at his house,” she said, noting of her visit with Laura Dern. “I knew he’d been unwell but he was in great spirits. He wanted to go back to work — Laura and I were like, ‘You can do it! You could work from the trailer.’ He was not, in any way, done. I could see the creative spirit alive in him.” She added, “I thought I would see him in a couple of weeks [after that last lunch] because I was here in L.A. There’s a lot I could share but I want to be private about it because of his family. But it was a really powerful meeting that filled me with just so much love and hope.”

While she didn’t divulge more about the project in discussion, one wouldn’t be surprised if it was Wisteria/Unrecorded Night, a project Netflix canceled amidst the pandemic and health uncertainties. “Unrecorded Night was a non-Twin Peaks series that was going to shoot at Netflix but was cancelled when the pandemic hit,” his longtime producer Sabrina Sutherland said last year. “There’s always a chance we can pick it up again, but David has been enjoying his artwork and music endeavors, so we haven’t gone back to it yet.”

It was also revealed last year, from Lynch’s own words, that Netflix rejected a pitch for his long-in-the-works Snootworld, an animated, family-friendly project his ex-wife Peggy Reavey once claimed would be “David’s Harry Potter.” Due to the collective reverence for the filmmaker, we can’t imagine they will ever see the light of day under a different director, but it would certainly be fascinating to take a peek at the scripts if they are ever disclosed.

As we dream about what could have been, watch a playlist of Lynch’s commercials below.

The post David Lynch Spoke to Naomi Watts and Laura Dern About New Project Last Fall: “He Was Not, In Any Way, Done” first appeared on The Film Stage.