What To Expect From ‘MaXXXine,’ the End of This Century’s Hottest Horror Trilogy

The last few years have seen many classic horror franchises like The Exorcist, Halloween, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre return in the form of modern reboots that attempt to continue the original films’ legacy. While it’s disappointing that the horror genre is so often reliant on the past, Ti West managed to sneakily create a new slasher icon with his 2022 breakout hit X. To the shock of audiences who managed to stick around until the end of the credits, West and Mia Goth had also secretly shot the prequel film Pearl, which was released to great acclaim later the same year. The upcoming sequel MaXXXine, which hits theaters on July 5, serves as the conclusion to this unpredictable trilogy and will wrap up Maxine’s character arc that was introduced in X.

Thus far, West’s new franchise has managed to carve out a unique legacy among modern horror films based on the homages to the genre’s history. X certainly felt close in tone to many of the grindhouse slasher films of the 1970s, and Pearl decided to confront the horror legacy of The Wizard of Oz thanks to some clever visual parallels. The trailer for MaXXXine already drops some major Easter Eggs, including a reference to the infamous Bates Motel from Psycho. This is all quite fitting, as MaXXXine takes the franchise to Hollywood as Goth’s character attempts to break out as a film star, leaving her horrific past behind her.

How Does ‘X’ Set Up ‘MaXXXine?’

While Pearl helped to flesh out how the first film’s killer became a ruthless slasher, Maxxxine is a direct sequel that takes place six years after the events of X. At the end of X, Maxine is forced to watch as her colleagues Jackson Hole (Scott Mescudi), Bobby-Lynne (Brittany Snow), Lorraine (Jenna Ortega), RJ (Owen Campbell), and boyfriend Wayne (Martin Henderson) are all picked off one-by-one when trying to shoot their low-budget pornographic film “The Farmer’s Daughter” in a remote Texan farmhouse. Although the home’s owners, Howard (Stephen Ure) and Pearl (Goth in unrecognizable makeup), put up a good fight, Maxine is able to escape; Howard ends up dying of a surprise heart attack, and Maxine delivers the final blow by rolling over Pearl’s head, crushing it into smithereens.

Although she certainly survived an intense experience, the ending of X indicates that Maxine did not officially report what happened to the authorities. The film closes with the local Sheriff Dentler (James Gaylyn) and his officers discovering the remains of the film’s set, and are in the dark about the depraved murders that went down. Maxine may have fled the scene before being questioned, but some footage of “The Farmer’s Daughter” is left on the ruins of the set. It’s entirely possible that one of Dentler’s deputies picked up the tape, and it eventually made its way into the wrong hands. The trailer for MaXXXine seems to indicate that whoever the mysterious “Night Stalker” is, they are already familiar with Maxine’s work.

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What’s more disturbing is that MaXXXine appears to be drawing from a real serial killer casethat dominated headlines in the 1980s. “The Night Stalker” was a moniker used by the serial killer and sex offender Richard Ramirez, who killed and tortured dozens of victims. Ramirez was often identified by his Satanic tattoos, one of which is visible in the trailer for MaXXXine. In real life, Ramirez was caught in the Los Angeles area in August of 1985, which would just so happen to coincide with the timeline for MaXXXine. The trailer features Maxine and her friend (Halsey) walking by a theater showing the Brat Pack film St. Elmo’s Fire, which was released in June 1985. The trailer shows a figure dressed in all-black leather watching Maxine at a peepshow. Is it the night stalker or someone from her past with a more personal vengeance?

The Trailer Shows Maxine’s Dark Past Following Her to Hollywood

MaXXXine is set to explore the casting process of a Hollywood horror film, as Maxine is attempting to get a leading role in the film “The Puritan II” by meeting with its director, Elizabeth Bender (Elizabeth Debicki). Joining her on the set is another actress, Molly Bennett (Lily Collins) who seems to enjoy being covered in fake blood. Giancarlo Esposito plays Maxine’s agent, Teddy Knight. The trailer features Maxine talking to her friend Leon Green (Moses Sumney) at a video store about her potential as a star. She believes that just because she has done pornographic films in the past, it doesn’t mean that she can’t break out in mainstream horror films; Leon even cites Jamie Lee Curtis, Demi Moore, Brooke Shields, and John Travolta as examples of Hollywood actors who got their start in horror. Images from the film seem to indicate that Maxine is content to leave the past behind her, even if she looks back ponderously at a vintage pornography shop.

Maxine may be under investigation by the authorities, as she is seen being questioned by the Detectives Williams (Michelle Monaghan) and Torres (Bobby Cannavale) about her past as they track the “Night Stalker” and his killings. While the cops may be ignorant to what Maxine did back in Texas, the private investigator John Labat (Kevin Bacon) seems to know why she has been targeted. Even if it was done in self-defense, Maxine is responsible for Pearl’s death in X. At the end of X, we learn that Maxine comes from a devout Christian background, with her father revealed to be the televangelist that is shown on the television set throughout X. With the satanic image throughout the trailer, MaXXXine may bring its titular character back to her religious roots.

Goth has certainly proven herself as one of the definitive “final girls” of the 21st century, but MaXXXine adds an exciting new cast of characters to the universe. Having Bacon involved just seems right, as he is himself a “scream king” in classic horror films like Friday the 13th and Tremors; it will also be interesting to see Debicki in a much different role than her award-winning performance as Princess Diana in The Crown. Other additions to the cast include Lily Collins as one of Maxine’s fellow horror stars and the singer Halsey as the enigmatic character Tabby Martin.

West is clearly a massive fan of classic horror cinema, as the trailer for MaXXXine is packed with movie-related Easter Eggs. Between the “X-Factor” billboard and a shot of Pearl at the Bates Motel, it’s guaranteed that the film will be a treasure trove for both fans of this franchise and genre buffs. What’s just as compelling is the role that both X and Pearl have played in bringing to life a real era of Hollywood history. In addition to the Night Stalker, Los Angeles fell victim to the Wonderland murders, the Black Dahlia case, and the Manson murders, which certainly cast the “City of Angels” in a darker light. Nonetheless, MaXXXine was also shot on the Hollywood back lot, which attracts tourists interested in the real sets used in Psycho. The backlot is also steeped in Hollywood history, being the locale where famous films such as Back to the Future, Jaws, and Frankenstein were shot.

What Role Will the Night Stalker Play in ‘MaXXXine’?

This unique trilogy stands out because each film is set within a different subgenre of horror. Setting MaXXXine in 1985 makes sense, as this was a decade that saw the increased popularity of many slasher franchises like Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, and Sleepaway Camp. However, the true crime element seems to indicate that the film will incorporate some real events, similar to the incorporation of the Manson Family murders in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. West was asked about his approach to the Night Stalker murders by Total Film to which he said: “It has more in common with Summer of Sam, the Spike Lee movie [backdropped by the killings of David Berkowitz a.k.a. the Son of Sam, in New York during 1976 and 1977], than it does Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood. It does play a significant role in the story but in its own particular way.” Goth, who is also a producer on the film, added “It sets out a breadcrumb trail back to reality. It’s not just some big sweeping horror movie that’s purely for entertainment value. It’s rooted in something.”

MaXXXine is exciting because the franchise has been very open in celebrating female sexuality. “Final girls” in horror films are often defined by their innocence, Maxine is a character who is unashamed in her sexuality, setting her apart from decades of puritanical final girls. In X, Maxine looks into the mirror and tells herself that she’s a “f*cking sex symbol.” At the end of MaXXXine‘s trailer, we get a very similar scene, but she now says “You’re a f*cking movie star.” Seeing Maxine come face-to-face with another ruthless killer attempting to take her down when she seems to be on the rise should certainly make for one of the biggest horror events of the year.

Why Do You Need To See ‘MaXXXine’ in Theaters?

It’s no secret that the 2024 box office has been in decline, as the disappointing performances of films like Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and The Fall Guy suggest that it could be a summer of disappointment. However, MaXXXine is the type of entertaining thrill ride packed with popular culture references that needs to be experienced on the big screen. By diving into 1980s Hollywood with some great needle drops and a good deal of camp, MaXXXine stands to be the summer’s most fun movie.

MaXXXine is bound to be filled with twists and turns involving the Night Stalker storyline, so viewers will want to make sure to see the film as soon as possible in order to avoid being spoiled. Both X and Pearl were “edge of your seat” thrillers that were completely unpredictable, so it’s safe to say that MaXXXine will be the same. Judging from both the franchise’s trajectory so far, this peculiar trilogy has the potential to be one of the greatest horror franchises of all-time.

MaXXXne hits theaters on July 5.

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