Ted Sarandos Recalls David Lynch’s Unrealized Netflix Limited Series: ‘We Were All In’

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Ted Sarandos, like numerous others in the entertainment field, recently paid tribute to the late David Lynch, who passed away at the age of 78 on Thursday. As co-CEO of Netflix, Sarandos took to Instagram to express his admiration for one of his most revered filmmakers and acknowledge that Lynch had been in discussions with the streaming service about directing a limited series. However, due to issues arising from the COVID pandemic and later health concerns, this project did not come to fruition. In 2024, Lynch revealed he was suffering from emphysema, a condition brought on by a lifetime of smoking, and that any future work would have to be done remotely.

Netflix was approached by him with a proposal for a limited series, and we eagerly accepted,” Sarandos wrote. “This was a David Lynch production, teeming with enigma and daring elements, but we were excited to embark on this creative journey with such a genius mind. Unfortunately, COVID-19 happened first, followed by some health concerns that prevented the project from being made. However, we made it clear that as soon as he was ready, we were fully committed.

It’s worth mentioning that whispers about a Netflix project by Lynch circulated for years leading up to his demise. In November 2020, an issue of Production Weekly (a magazine that doesn’t always provide accurate previews of upcoming film productions) announced a limited series from Lynch titled “Wisteria.” This title was later disclosed to be a code name for the project given by Netflix, and it was also referred to as “Unrecorded Night.” According to the announcement, Lynch intended to write and direct all 13 episodes of the series, with his collaborator Peter Deming, who worked on “Lost Highway” and “Mulholland Drive,” serving as cinematographer.

In November 2021, Deming revealed during an interview that the project had been temporarily halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, expressing optimism that it would resume at some point in the future. However, in May 2024, Lynch’s longtime producer Sabrina Sutherland indicated during a Q&A session that there was always a possibility that Lynch might revisit the limited series, but he had been focusing on his artistic and musical pursuits instead. As of now, it’s uncertain whether the project that Sarandos is referring to is actually “Unrecorded Night.” At the time of writing, representatives from the streaming platform were not reachable for comment.

During his heartfelt speech, Sarandos reminisced about their initial encounter, which took place when Netflix was predominantly a service for mailing DVDs. At the time, Sarandos had contacted Lynch to obtain copies of his debut film “Eraserhead,” as it was no longer in circulation.

In our discussion, we reached a deal for purchasing a large quantity of ‘Eraserhead’ and Netflix producing a DVD collection of David Lynch’s groundbreaking short films. Following this agreement, David graciously offered me a tour of his house and artwork. He then inquired if I would be interested in previewing an early version of his upcoming movie. I assumed he meant just some snippets, but to my surprise, he led me to his screening room and showed me a nearly three-hour cut of ‘Mulholland Drive.’ Unexpectedly, I ended up spending the entire day at David Lynch’s home, watching his unseen new film in his personal cinema. About halfway through, I noticed that David had left. I finished watching the movie and made my way out on my own.

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2025-01-18 05:16