David Lynch says he is too ill to direct films in person

David Lynch is uncertain if he will direct again due to his emphysema. The 78-year-old director attributes his condition to years of smoking, revealing in a Sight & Sound interview, "I'm homebound whether I like it or not. I can't go out, and I can walk only a short distance before running out of oxygen." Smoking was once Lynch's treasured ritual, intertwined with his artistic endeavors. However, he's been forced to quit, acknowledging, "In the end, it bit me. Smoking was part of the art life for me, but it's killing me."

Emphysema not only confines him at home but also heightens his vulnerability to illnesses like COVID-19, making any respiratory infection particularly perilous. Lynch disclosed, "I like to be amongst things to get ideas, but given my health, I may have to direct remotely."

This illness has jeopardized Lynch's ability to undertake new projects. Yet, he remains optimistic about the possibilities of remote direction. He even mentioned an animated project he pitched to Netflix, titled Snootworld, which they ultimately passed on. He holds onto the hope of realizing his unproduced 2010 screenplay, "Antelope Don’t Run No More."

Lynch's latest significant work was the 2017 revival of "Twin Peaks," which returned after its original run from 1990 to 1991. The show's brief stint on ABC cultivated a cult following, leading to the 1992 prequel film "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me" and subsequent revival "Twin Peaks: The Return." Returning cast members included Kyle MacLachlan, Sherilyn Fenn, and David Duchovny, alongside new stars like Laura Dern and Amanda Seyfried.

Aside from the "Twin Peaks" universe, Lynch is celebrated for such critical successes as "Eraserhead," "The Elephant Man," and "Mulholland Drive." However, Lynch’s compromised health means his immediate future in filmmaking hinges on adapting to the new normal of remote work.

Furthermore, his last feature film, "Inland Empire," was in 2006, and while Lynch remains hopeful about potential projects, including the rumored Netflix series called "Wisteria/Unrecorded Night" in development as of 2020, the future remains unpredictable.

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