David Lynch Almost Directed A Star Trek Movie
There have been 13 Star Trek movies, with 10 directors between them. However, the only well-known director to try their hand at making a Star Trek film is J.J. Abrams, who created the 2009 film and its 2013 sequel. However, if Patrick Stewart had his way, acclaimed filmmaker David Lynch would have directed 1998’s Star Trek: Insurrection.
Star Trek’s Patrick Stewart wanted David Lynch to direct 1998’s Star Trek: Insurrection, but his suggestion wasn’t heeded.
According to Josh Horowitz, who runs the podcast Happy Sad Confused, Patrick Stewart had given suggestions about who should direct the Star Trek movies. He reportedly suggested that David Lynch direct Star Trek: Insurrection, the ninth Star Trek film. However, Stewart said that his suggestions were not well-received.
It’s not hard to see why Paramount might have balked at hiring David Lynch to direct a Star Trek film. Lynch was best known for a bizarre, surrealist style, often hinting at supernatural elements. While Star Trek has often dabbled in the bizarre, it has never done so to the degree that Lynch has in films like Eraserhead and Lost Highway.
However, David Lynch seems like a good choice when you look at the plot of Star Trek: Insurrection. The movie revolves around a grotesque, almost-mummified group of aliens trying to harness the healing power of a planet that renders its inhabitants immortal. During the course of the film, the planet’s people are found to have inexplicable, seemingly supernatural powers.
However, while a move like bringing David Lynch onboard to direct Star Trek might have garnered attention, that doesn’t necessarily translate into box office success. While Lynch is a recognizable name, his films tend to be relatively niche. None of his movies have been blockbuster successes.
Star Trek: Insurrection’s Director
Eventually, the studio decided to ask Jonathan Frakes, who played William Riker on Star Trek: The Next Generation, to direct the movie. Frakes had previously directed the well-received Star Trek: First Contact, so it likely seemed like a safe decision to put him back into the director’s chair.
Unfortunately, choosing Frakes over David Lynch didn’t end up working out for Frakes’ second Star Trek film, which was released to mixed reviews and a disappointing box office return.
While a David Lynch Star Trek movie sounds wild, this is not the only major sci-fi property that David Lynch could have directed. George Lucas reportedly approached Lynch to direct Return of the Jedi back in the 80s. Lynch refused — reportedly telling Lucas that he had zero interest in the project — and instead began working on the 1984 adaptation of Dune.
David Lynch’s Dune
While Dune did not do well upon release, creating Dune was likely the reason that Patrick Stewart suggested that Lynch direct a Star Trek movie. Stewart appeared in Lynch’s sci-fi epic as Gurney Halleck. The X-Men star has spoken high praise about Lynch’s adaptation, believing that its poor reputation is undeserved.
However, a David Lynch Star Trek film was not to be. Stewart went on to play Charles Xavier in the X-Men films and — after his final Trek feature, 2002’s Star Trek: Nemesis — reprised his role in the series Star Trek: Picard. Meanwhile, Lynch went on to create Mulholland Drive and Inland Empire and is currently working on a TV series called Unrecorded Night.
