The MaXXXine release date arrived in July 2024, so here are the need-to-know details, reviews, and more on the final movie in the X trilogy.
Ti West and Mia Goth’s horror movies have made a huge splash, beginning with the surprise hit X. Then, the prequel Pearl (which even Martin Scorsese liked) continued the R-rated chaos.
MaXXXine ends the trilogy of new A24 movies. And it’ll go out with a bang with a star-studded cast and an intriguing connection to an infamous 80s serial killer.
Here are the juicy scoops about the story and characters, and MaXXXine’s Rotten Tomatoes reception.
MaXXXine release date
MaXXXine’s release date was July 5, 2024, in the US.
The release of this movie is somewhat different from the first two films in the series: X and Pearl were shot back to back, meaning that they were able to be released within a year of each other.
As for behind the camera, Ti West returned to the directors’ chair. Mia Goth was a co-writer on Pearl but didn’t work on the script this time, though she’s singing its praises.
The cast
Mia Goth is the only returning cast member from X or Pearl in MaXXXine. She’s joined by Halsey, Kevin Bacon, and more new faces.
MaXXXine cast list:
- Mia Goth as Maxine Minx
- Kevin Bacon as Private Investigator
- Bobby Cannavale as LAPD Detective
- Lily Collins as Molly
- Elizabeth Debicki as Elizabeth Bender
- Giancarlo Esposito
- Michelle Monaghan as LAPD Detective
- Halsey as Tabby
- Moses Sumney
- Sophie Thatcher
- Uli Latukefu as Shepard
- Chloe Farnworth as Amber
- Deborah Geffner as Elaine
- Charley Rowan McCain as Young Maxine
- Susan Pingleton as Angel
We got our first look at the cast when A24 shared an image of music artist and actor Halsey alongside Mia Goth strutting down Hollywood’s streets, writing, “The life she deserves #MaXXXine.”
In January 2024, a lawsuit was filed against Goth by background actor James Hunter, who alleged that the star purposely kicked him in the head during filming last April, resulting in a concussion. He accused the actress of “taunting” him after the alleged incident.
Hunter went on to state that he had to pull over twice during the drive back home and, the following day, the casting agency “informed him that the production did not want him back for the remaining two days.” Hunter has also filed a wrongful termination claim against A24 and West.
MaXXXine reviews
MaXXXine is fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with mostly positive reviews. It also has a high audience score. It’s a perfect end to the trilogy.
Our four-star review said that “Goth’s ability to switch between these differently deranged characters is unrivaled, and the same can be said for MaXXXine, a high-concept horror homage and the perfect conclusion to West’s daring tour de force trilogy.”
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At the time of writing, it’s in the high 70s for the critic meter and low 80s for the audience score.
Peal sits at 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, and X’s Tomatometer score is 94%. This makes MaXXXine the lowest rated on the aggregator site, but not by a big margin.
Trailers
The first MaXXXine trailer was released on April 8, 2024, showing the movie’s serial killer and Hollywood setting.
A small promotional teaser was released before that by A24 on April 5, 2023. It’s just over a minute long, and the 1983 song ‘Obsession’ by Animotion gives it some upbeat yet ominous foreshadowing.
It starts with old-school TV static, then flashes to LA in 1985, six years after the events of X. It then pans to the Hollywood sign, replaced with “MAXXXINE”, a reference to the movie’s Hollywood setting.
Another trailer was shared on July 5, featuring a phone number you can text or call. Have fun with that.
The plot
MaXXXine is a whodunit slasher following Maxine after X. She’s trying to become an actress in 1985, Los Angeles while The Night Stalker killer is on the loose.
The movie is a whodunit slasher that uses The Night Stalker, the infamous serial killer, as a backdrop to Maxine’s fame-chasing escapades.
When a private eye (Bacon) is hired to find her by a powerful man, Maxine ends up targeted as she walks down a memory lane homaging Hollywood horror, which includes a trip to the Psycho house and Bates Motel.
There might be more than meets the eye here, though, as Maxime might be contributing to Hollywood’s murder problem herself. That would be a clever way to clear the competition, right? Maxine has the star power to make it, but her path to fame will be dangerous.
Explore the connections to old Hollywood in our guide to the MaXXXine Bates Hotel reference, or read our MaXXXine ending explained.
For more horror, check out how to watch The First Omen or see the best horror movies on Netflix. There’s also Trap to look forward to if mysteries and serial killers are your thing.
