David Lynch never thought he’d make more Twin Peaks—he’d even said so multiple times in 25 years since his ABC series ended. But he told reporters at a surprise Television Critics Association 2017 winter press tour panel that it’s a world he’s thought a lot about in the ensuing decades.

“I love this world of Twin Peaks and I often thought about what might be happening. I often just remembered the beautiful world and the beautiful characters,” he confessed. But it was Twin Peaks co-creator Mark Frost who, over a meal at Hollywood staple Musso and Frank several years ago, actually convinced him to revisit the world.

While Lynch remained frustratingly closed-lipped about anything that actually happens in the new season—”I see it as a film. A film in parts is what people will experience, and it was a joyful, fantastic trip with this great crew and a great cast,” he said—in answering a question about the place of prequel movie Fire Walk With Me he might’ve spilled a little bit of information about the content of the new episodes. “I can say [FWWM is] the story of Laura Palmer’s last seven days, very much important for this.”

Lynch also confirmed that he wrote the new scripts hoping that all the old cast members would be able to return, which, with the exception of a few actors actually happened. “I wrote it hoping for the best,” he said.

Lynch’s love affair with Twin Peaks started with the pilot. “The pilot of Twin Peaks, that for me sets a tone and made the world and the characters,” he said, adding, “That started the thing and I felt very good about that mood and that story and those characters. [I] just fell in deep, deep love.”

As for whether he thinks he can live up to the expectations of diehard Twin Peaks fans, “always we’re filled with doubts,” he teased, but “people expect things, and their expectations are met, hopefully, when they see the thing.”

And while he isn’t planning anything beyond these new 18 hours, he won’t rule anything out completely. “Before I said I wasn’t going to revisit it and I did, so you never say no, but right now there’s no plans for anything more.”

Twin Peaks premieres Sunday, May 21 at 9 p.m. on Showtime.

What do you want to see in the new episodes? Share your thoughts in the comments below!