Director Ti West has announced the cast for his upcoming A24 horror film, “MaXXXine,” which will be the third installment in A24’s major horror franchise. West is closing deals on said star-studded cast that includes Giancarlo Esposito, Elizabeth Debicki, Moses Sumney, Michelle Monaghan, Bobby Cannavale, Lily Collins, Halsey, and Kevin Bacon.
The film is a continuation of West’s previous films “X” and “Pearl,” both of which were highly acclaimed horror movies released last year. “MaXXXine” takes place in 1980s Los Angeles and follows the character of Maxine, played by Mia Goth, as she attempts to achieve fame as an actress after surviving the violent events of “X.”
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Produced by A24, Jacob Jaffke, West, Goth, Kevin Turen, and Harrison Kreiss, the film is set to start production this month. The franchise kicked off with the release of Ti West’s X in 2021. The film is set in the 1970s and stars Mia Goth as Maxine, a young actress who gets caught up in a brutal murder mystery while visiting a friend’s family in Texas. The film also features a parallel storyline in which Goth plays an elderly woman named Pearl who is involved in the murders.
X received critical acclaim upon its release, with many praising West’s direction, the film’s tense atmosphere, and Goth’s dual performance. The film was also notable for its use of practical effects and its vintage aesthetic, which helped transport viewers back to the 1970s.
Following the success of X, A24 and West announced that they were developing a sequel titled Pearl. The film is set in 1918 and serves as an origin story for the character of Pearl, who is one of the elderly assailants from X. The film stars Sydney Sweeney as Pearl, who becomes embroiled in a supernatural conspiracy involving a mysterious cult.
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Pearl was released in late 2021 and also received positive reviews, with critics praising Sweeney’s performance and the film’s haunting visuals. Many also noted how the film expanded the lore of the franchise while also standing on its own as a compelling horror film.
With the upcoming release of MaXXXine, it appears that A24 and Ti West are committed to building a robust horror franchise that explores different time periods and characters while maintaining a consistent tone and aesthetic.