David Lynch Is Done With Film, and Promises 2006’s ‘Inland Empire’ Was the Last Movie He’ll Ever Make
Say it ain’t so, David Lynch! As we await the return of his TV masterpiece “Twin Peaks” later this month, Lynch is making it clear that he won’t be returning to the film world again.
Lynch hasn’t made a picture since 2006’s “Inland Empire.” Now, he tells the Sydney Morning Herald that “Inland Empire” represents the end of his filmmaking career. It’s a changing business, after all, and there isn’t much room anymore in the blockbuster- and franchise-minded industry for creatives like him.
READ MORE: ‘Twin Peaks’ Teaser: New Footage Brings an Eerie First Look at Familiar Faces
“Things changed a lot,” Lynch told the newspaper. “So many films were not doing well at the box office even though they might have been great films and the things that were doing well at the box office weren’t the things that I would want to do.”
Asked point blank whether he has made his last feature film, Lynch paused, and then confirmed it. “Yes.”
Lynch’s insistence that he’s done with features comes soon after the 40th anniversary of his landmark first film, 1977’s “Eraserhead.” The auteur’s credits include “Blue Velvet,” “Wild at Heart,” “Mulholland Drive,” and “Lost Highway.” Of course, “Twin Peaks,” which originally aired on ABC from 1990-1991 and spawned 1992’s “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me,” is also a key piece of Lynch canon.
The new “Twin Peaks” premieres on Showtime with 18 episodes starting May 21. Marketing surrounding the revival has mostly focused on old footage, iconic characters and very little imagery from the new show. That’s by design, Lynch told the newspaper, arguing that too much marketing “completely ruins” the experience.
“People want to know up until the time they know, then they don’t care,” he said. “So, speaking for myself, I don’t want to know anything before I see something. I want to experience it without any purification, pure; [I want to] go into a world and let it happen.”
The two-part premiere of “Twin Peaks” airs Sunday, May 21, on Showtime. Fans will have access to the third and fourth parts of “Twin Peaks” immediately following the premiere, exclusively across the Showtime streaming service, Showtime Anytime and Showtime On Demand. In its second week, “Twin Peaks” will air the third and fourth parts back-to-back on May 28, starting at 9 p.m., followed by single parts in subsequent weeks.
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