Written and directed by Ti West, the A24-produced film X debuted in theaters in March 2022, quickly becoming the most talked-about horror film of the year. Part of the chatter? A lot of moviegoers didn’t know what X was about — its bare-bones title leaves a lot to the imagination, and it debuted at SXSW a few days before hitting theaters nationwide.
Word of mouth certainly served the film well. Praised as an homage to films like 1974’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre as well as the psycho-biddy horror movies of yesteryear, X breathed new life into the tired slasher genre. Not to mention, it grossed an impressive $15.1 million worldwide against its slight $1 million budget. A few months later, Pearl, a prequel to X, debuted at the Venice International Film Festival to similar acclaim. With a third installment in the X trilogy, MaXXXine, already in the works, here’s what to know about this celebrated horror series.
Who Is Ti West?
When it comes to filmmaking, Ti West is a jack of all trades with directing, writing, producing, editing, and acting credits to his name. He’s even tried his hand at cinematography. Despite his versatility behind — and in front — of the camera, West is probably most well known for his horror films. In terms of directorial work, he came onto the scene as a student director with the award-winning short The Wicked in 2001. A few years later, he earned his first feature-length directing credit with 2005’s The Roost.
After several other horror features, West wrote, produced and directed Dead & Lonely, a web series for IFC Films. The filmmaker stepped back from helming horror features for a bit. Instead, he contributed to the anthology horror film V/H/S (2012); directed an episode of MTV’s Scream TV series; and had a hand in an episode of Jason Blum and Eli Roth’s We TV horror series, South of Hell.
West then took a break from the horror genre altogether, writing and directing a Western, In a Valley of Violence, which starred big names — John Travolta, Taissa Farmiga, Ethan Hawke — and debuted at South by Southwest (SXSW) in 2016. Recently, fans of West’s horror projects were thrilled when A24 announced a collaboration with director and writer on slasher film X (2022).
What Is X About?
For writer, producer, director Ti West, X marks a triumphant return to his horror roots. The slasher film pays homage to the genre’s preeminent films, like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), and stars Mia Goth (Suspiria) in dual roles. The cast is rounded out by Jenny Ortega (Wednesday), Brittany Snow (Pitch Perfect), Owen Campbell (As You Are), Martin Henderson (Grey’s Anatomy), and Scott Mescudi (a.k.a. Kid Cudi), among others.
Set in 1979, X tells the story of Maxine Minx (Goth), an aspiring actress, who heads to rural Texas with her producer boyfriend and cast mates to make a pornographic film. But the elderly couple that own the land, Howard and Pearl (also Goth), aren’t as harmless as they may seem. Soon enough, the cast and crew of the adult film find themselves terrorized by an unlikely killer: Pearl.
More than deserving of the wild thrills and shocking moments it doles out, X breathes new life into the slasher genre, all while being a love letter to the movies that came before it.
What Is Pearl About?
A few months after the release of X in March 2022, A24 released the second installment in Ti West’s X trilogy — Pearl:An X-traordinary Origin Story. A prequel to X, Pearl put West back in the director’s chair, though the script was co-written by West and star Mia Goth, who reprises her role — though, this time, the titular character is much younger.
Set in 1918, the film focuses on future killer Pearl. The wannabe actress wants nothing more than to become a bona fide movie star, so much so that her passion leads her to commit brutal acts of violence. Pearl trades the slasher homages found in X for references to Golden Age of Hollywood films. Packed with odes to classics like The Wizard of Oz (1939) and Mary Poppins (1964), the clever and gruesome Pearl is, as its director called it, a “demented Disney movie.”
When Is MaXXXine Coming Out?
The X trilogy’s third installment, MaXXXine, will be a sequel to X. So far, not much is known about the project. So, what is known? It’s set in the 1980s, and Ti West will return as director. Additionally, Mia Goth will executive produce the film and reprise her role as Maxine, an actress who is still pursuing a career in Hollywood even after the devastating events of X.
In true X trilogy fashion, viewers can expect the film to delve into another horror sub-genre and, no doubt, explore the unsavory impact the nature of the film industry has on its participants. As of January 2023, the script for MaXXXine has been finalized, though principal photography won’t start on the A24 film until later in the year.
Should You Watch X Before Pearl?
Director Ti West has said that the movies can be watched independently of each other. While X, Pearl, and MaXXXine all stand on their own, watching more than one of the films can deepen the viewer’s understanding of the larger story, characters, and world of the films. Meant to complement one another, the X trilogy installments carry on the tradition of slasher film franchises churning out sequels and prequels — though it certainly does so with more wit and style than some of the movies it references.
What Are Ti West's Other Movies?
In addition to X, Pearl, and the upcoming MaXXXine, Ti West has directed several other feature-length films, including The Roost (2005), Trigger Man (2007), The House of the Devil (2009), The Innkeepers (2011), The Sacrament (2013), and In a Valley of Violence (2016). West also worked on Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever (2009), but disowned the film, noting that his vision for it was continually interfered with.
West’s short films include Prey (2001), Infested (2001), The Wicked (2001), and Christmas Decay (2008). In 2012, he directed the “Second Honeymoon” segment of V/H/S and the “M is for Miscarriage” segment for The ABCs of Death. In 2013, West directed “Box”, part of a shorts anthology used to promote James Wan’s The Conjuring (2013).
When it comes to television, West has worked on episodes of Scream (another of X actor Jenna Ortega's horror franchises), South of Hell, Wayward Pines, Outcast, The Exorcist, The Passage, Chambers, The Resident, Soundtrack, Tales from the Loop, and Them.