2018 was a big year for Luca Guadagnino. Not only did he get to start the year with some awards season love for his film “Call Me By Your Name,” but he was also responsible for one of the best films of the year “Suspiria.” But really, what the filmmaker spent most of the year talking about was the possibility of a “Call Me By Your Name 2.” More than any other topic, ‘CMBYN2’ was the one thing that you could get Guadagnino to open up about. So, to cap off 2018, why not have yet another sequel update from the Italian filmmaker?
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Speaking to Italian outlet Bad Taste, Guadagnino decided to give another little scoop about ‘CMBYN2.’ This time, the filmmaker is talking about how he envisions the film beginning as well as the location for the potential sequel. It appears that Elio and Oliver are going to be leaving Crema.
He explained:
“I’m asking myself if in the new chapter of the life of Elio, Oliver and the Perlman family we should let them pass by Crema or not… but I don’t think so. Let’s give a small scoop: the sequel (but I don’t like to call it a sequel, their story is a ‘cycle’) will take place in Paris. And it begins with Elio crying. With this light shining into his eyes… and we wonder: are we still where we left him (in front of the fireplace)? No: he’s crying because he’s watching the ending of one of the best movies of the eighties, Paul Vecchiali’s masterpiece ‘Once More / Encore.’ Absolutely consistent with the character: Elio loves Paul Vecchiali’s cinema… that is melancholic like him.”
It might be a bit too reductive to call Guadagnino’s plan for the ‘CMBYN’ franchise similar to Richard Linklater’s ‘Before’ series, but it does sort of sound like that’s what the filmmaker has in mind, with picking up these characters years down the line and in different points in their lives.
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That is, of course, if it ever comes to fruition. We know that the actors involved are game, including Dakota Johnson, who Guadagnino readily admits he wants Armie Hammer’s Oliver to be married to in the sequel. However, there’s still plenty of hurdles that he would have to overcome to bring the film to life. Namely, he has to get the approval of the author André Aciman and screenwriter James Ivory.
But if we keep asking Guadagnino questions about the film, perhaps he’ll eventually review enough bits and pieces that we can create the sequel in our minds.