David Lynch was proud of his directorial work, but surprisingly one film was the biggest regret of his career. The Oscar-nominated filmmaker died on January 16, 2025, days before his 79th birthday. In 2020, Lynch posted a video on his YouTube channel admitting that his 1984 film, Dune, was not his best work, despite its cult status.
Do you have a question for David? “I’m proud of everything except Dune,” he said in the captioned video. Part 1. “I love working in different mediums,” he said of filming sci-fi adventures. He explained that it was not about pride but about the joy of working on the project.
Although he did not enjoy his work on Dune, Lynch felt “fortunate” to have the experience of working on different mediums. This was not the first time that the director had expressed his dissatisfaction with Dune. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter he said that the film was a “heartache” for him.
Lynch also admitted that he had no interest in watching Denis Villeneuve’s recent adaptations, which starred Timothée Chalamet, Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, Josh Brolin, and Zendaya.
He said, “I’ve told this story a billion times. This is not the movie I wanted to make. I love parts of it – but it completely failed for me.” Lynch revealed that he did not have full creative control over the film and claimed that the film would have had a different take if he had had “ultimate” control.
Despite The Elephant Man’s dislike of the Dune franchise, the cast remembered him fondly upon his death. Kyle MacLachlan, who played Paul Atreidis, recalled how Lynch plucked him from “obscurity” to star in his first and last big-budget film.
The actor further added, “He clearly saw something in me that even I couldn’t identify. I owe my entire career, and indeed life, to his foresight.” In addition to Dune, the director is known for his work on Mulholland Drive, Blue Velvet, and Twin Peaks.
