Ti West entered the pandemic in 2020 with a script for a slasher called X and emerged on the other side with two-thirds of a trilogy, gaining the best reviews of his career and supporters like Martin Scorsese.
Before directing X, West had taken a break from feature films since 2016, exploring genre television instead. However, in late 2020, he partnered with A24 to create X, which was shot in early 2021 in New Zealand.
X, set in 1979, follows a group filming an X-rated movie in an elderly couple’s boarding house in Texas, leading to a jealous rage from the farmwife, Pearl, played by Mia Goth in a dual role. The success of X led West and Goth to develop a full-fledged prequel known as Pearl.
Following X and Pearl, both released in 2022 with critical and commercial acclaim, the final installment in the trilogy, MaXXXine, was released. The story picks up six years after the events of X, with Maxine navigating her newfound success in Los Angeles while being targeted by a shadowy killer.
West felt the pressure to deliver a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy with MaXXXine, as the franchise gained more attention and expectations. The trilogy also served as a platform for rising stars like Jenna Ortega and David Corenswet, both of whom were involved in the films.
While West hasn’t ruled out a return to the X-verse in the future, he acknowledges the need for a break after years of continuous work on the trilogy. The success of the films has led to speculation about potential sequels, but for now, West is focused on promoting MaXXXine and reflecting on the journey of creating the trilogy.
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