Suspiria just recently opened wide, and director Luca Guadagnino already has a prequel idea in mind. Rather than move forward with the story, Guadagnino wants to go back in time. Way back in time, all the way to the 1200s. There, the story would focus on Helena Markos, one of the three characters in the new film played by Tilda Swinton.

Helena Markos is one of the many witches in the new (and old) Suspiria, played this time by Tilda Swinton under a lot of makeup. While the character doesn’t have much screentime in the new film, Luca Guadagnino wants to give Markos her due in a possible prequel. Speaking with The Playlist, Guadagnino commented that he’d love to go even further back in history to tell Markos’ story:

“I have this image in my mind of Helena Markos in solitude in the year 1212 in Scotland or in Spain. Wondering through a village and trying to find a way on how she can manipulate the women of the village. I have this image. I know she was there, I know it was six to seven hundred years before the actual storyline of this film.”

Jumping back in time is an intriguing idea, and it opens up the world of Guadagnino’s remake considerably. It’s also not exactly what one would expect, and for the filmmaker, that’s the point. In his mind, a “companion piece” film would work better than a standard sequel.

Speaking with Deadline in the past, Guadagnino said: “At the beginning we were going to title the movie Suspiria: Part One but we didn’t want to give the impression of something that couldn’t stand alone. Truthfully, I’d be interested to explore the origin of Madame Blanc and Helena Marcus and also the future of Suzy Bannion in the world. So maybe. We’ll have to see how the movie goes.”

This tidbit was confirmed by screenwriter David Kajganich, who told us in a recent interview: “I’ll tell you this. When I turned in the script, Luca asked me to put on the cover sheet, Suspiria: Part One. So, if the world wants a sequel, you won’t get much of a fight from us.”

I was blown away by the new Suspiria, but I also know it’s going to be a very divisive movie – the type of movie you either love, or hate. Would such a movie warrant a sequel, or prequel? I suppose it all depends on box office returns. It’s worth noting that Guadagnino is fond of proposing sequels to his films. He’s said in the past that he really wants to make a sequel to Call Me By Your Name, but so far, nothing has materialized.

The original Suspiria had two sequels of its own – Inferno and The Mother of Tears – but it’s clear Guadagnino doesn’t want to follow the template of either of those films.