Fans of slashers and Mia Goth alike were ecstatic when “X” released in March 2022.
The film grossed $15.1 million in theaters — making it a box office success. The star packed cast included Mia Goth in dual roles of Maxine Minx and antagonist Pearl, Jenna Ortega as Lorraine, Brittany Snow as Bobby-Lynne, Kid Cudi as Jackson, Owen Campbell as RJ and Martin Henderson as Wayne.
Fans loved the revival of summer slasher films, and Ti West announced that the film would be part of a trilogy series. In September of the same year, “Pearl” was released.
“We had the idea for ‘Pearl’ before making ‘X’ but only by a month or two. When we went to New Zealand to make ‘X,’ we had a two-week mandatory quarantine in a hotel, so that’s when the ‘Pearl’ script was written,” director Ti West said in an interview with Forbes.
The film was a prequel to the original movie and was another success, grossing over $10 million in theaters. Goth reprised her role as the titular character Pearl, but this time the film followed her young adult years.
Goth received praise for her acting in both films and audiences watched a young Pearl devolve into who we knew her as in “X.”
Following the release of the prequel, the sequel was announced to be in production and was set to release in 2024.
“MaXXXine” added new cast members including Halsey, Lily Collins, Kevin Bacon, Elizabeth Debicki and Sophie Thatcher.
The film follows Maxine trying to become an actress in 1985 Hollywood after the events of the Texas chainsaw massacre in “X.”
Along with her murderous past haunting her, a mysterious private detective is following her every move. Meanwhile, Hollywood is being terrorized by the Night Stalker — a fictional expansion of the real life serial killer. The perfect concoction for chaos and anxiety.
The film is a question of who will catch up to Maxine first.
Spoilers ahead for “MaXXXine.”
Everything seems well when Maxine finally lands a role for an upcoming B-list movie. However, she soon becomes involved in the investigation of the suspicious death of her coworker — who went to a party she previously declined to attend.
I personally really enjoyed how convoluted the story was. Throughout the entire film, some of Maxine’s friends start getting picked off one by one as they attend a mysterious party that Maxine continuously declines.
While the plot follows this storyline, the film also introduces possible causes of the disappearances — enter the Night Stalker. This was a great red herring to deflect from the true mysterious antagonist who is obsessed with Maxine, but who isn’t revealed until the end.
While the Night Stalker was active during the film, the identity of the killer is actually Maxine’s estranged father, Ernest Miller — a murderous cult leader-like televangelist who claims Hollywood has stolen his daughter.
It is revealed that Miller and his followers have been making a snuff film to expose the “sinful” nature of Hollywood.
While the plot twist isn’t entirely surprising given the fact that he’s mentioned several times in both “X” and the beginning of “MaXXXine,” it’s still satisfying that the film came full circle back to him.
After Maxine confronts her father and kills him, we watch her make it big in Hollywood as a biographical film is made about her life — with her finally as the star.
“Playing Maxine and Pearl has been the most creatively fulfilling experience of my life,” Mia Goth said in an interview with Time Magazine.
While the “X” trilogy has concluded, director Ti West has teased that he is working on a fourth film connected to the franchise — with its release depending on the success of “MaXXXine.”
