Call Me by Your Name director Luca Guadagnino has hinted that a sequel to the infamous, award-winning, gay love story could be on the way. Although the original 2017 production was based on the relationship between Elio (Timothée Chalamet) and Oliver (Armie Hammer), according to Guadagnino, the second film would focus solely on the former character.

“A sequel is an American concept,” the filmmaker said at the Telluride Film Festival. “It’s more like the chronicles of Elio, the chronicles of this young boy becoming a man. It is something I want to do.”

This comment has sparked excitement among fans, whose hopes of a follow-up film had dwindled after the director said in 2021 that although his “heart is still” in a Call Me by Your Name sequel, there were other projects that he was prioritising.

Call Me by Your Name is based on a 2007 book of the same name written by André Aciman. The author released a sequel to the novel in 2019 called Find Me, and even though it includes Oliver, it’s somewhat unsurprising that Armie Hammer’s character may not feature in the second film. Although it is unconfirmed, some suspect that his absence may be due to the array of alarming accusations that have been made against the American actor, including sexual assault and an interest in cannibalism.

On the other hand, Chalamet and Guadagnino have continued their working relationship, most recently in Bones and All which is expected to release this November.

“this man gave me a gift i’ll be thanking him for the rest of my life.”
-timothée about luca guadagnino pic.twitter.com/APZxsy3sR0

— this barbie is darbie ❦ (@z3ffirelli) September 2, 2022

“It’s not as if I left Timothée at the height of his booming success, and then I found him four years later,” the director said of the 26 year-old star. “We kept close. I knew that there was not much time to wait until we worked together, but only for the right project.”

Bones and All, a romantic coming-of-age horror that somewhat ironically centres cannibal lovers, also stars Taylor Russell, Mark Rylance and Chloë Sevigny.