Jessica Chastain Needs Her Own 'Crimson' Spinoff

There are only a few actors for which I'd be willing to get over my fear of horror movies, and Crimson Peak has two of them. Due to the starring combo of Jessica Chastain, one of my favorite actresses, and Tom Hiddleston, who is, well, Tom Hiddleston, I actually might find the courage and make my way to the theater (or let's be real, my couch in a few months' time, clutching a blanket and with the lights fully on). And if I end up making it through the movie and even manage, a few years down the road, to stay for a potential Crimson Peak sequel or even a Jessica Chastain Crimson Peak spinoff? Then I'll deserve nothing less than a badge of honor from Guillermo del Toro himself.

Before you Peak fans freak out, though, let me clarify: at current time, there are no plans for a Crimson Peak sequel of any kind. Director del Toro told Time that he felt the movie's conclusion was a "nice ending," and as of now, nothing has been announced about a potential follow-up to the film. Still, depending on box office receipts and fans' reactions, you can't rule a sequel out completely — especially one that focuses on Chastain's character, Lady Lucille. (Spoilers ahead!)

At the end of Crimson Peak, Edith (Mia Wasikowska) discovers that her husband Thomas is a man with a dangerous past, and that he's in love with his sister, Lucille. Unable to escape, Edith stabs Lucille, and the two fight until a dead Thomas (it's complicated, OK?) returns as a ghost and allows Edith to kill his sibling. Edith and Thomas say goodbye, and Lucille, now a ghost, is stuck at Crimson Peak forever, having died alone, vengeful, and without love. So while a potential Crimson Peak sequel certainly couldn't focus on an alive Lucille, it could, presumably, feature ghost Lucille continuing to haunt the residents of the mansion and find (non-sibling) love once more. Sure, it's unlikely, but stranger things have happen in horror movies, right?

But it can't happen at all if Jessica Chastain isn't open to the idea of a follow-up film. As of now, the actress hasn't said anything about if she'd be interested in a Crimson Peak sequel, but judging from the excitement over the movie and love for the character that she's shown so far, it'd be hard to believe she wouldn't be open to reprising the role of Lucille. Unfortunately, she might simply be too busy to make it happen. Chastain is one of the most in-demand actresses in Hollywood, and unsurprisingly, she has a busy slate coming up. In April, she'll star in The Huntsman , a Snow White-based movie, and after that, there's The Zookeeper's Wife, a war drama she's filming now. Then, there's Miss Sloane , a highly-anticipated gun control drama set to begin production next year. With a schedule like that, it's hard to imagine that Chastain will have time to fit in Crimson Peak 2, even if it was a possibility.

But hey, you never know. If the sequel did actually happen, it seems unlikely that Chastain wouldn't do everything in her power to reprise her role, especially if she was the movie's new star. Here's hoping it happens and that the actress can find room in her schedule, because a Crimson Peak follow-up without its badass leading lady would simply be a major mistake.

Image: Universal Pictures