MaXXXine follows Maxine Minx in 1985, 6 years after she survived the Texas Massacre. She’s pursuing her dream of becoming famous after becoming a big name in the adult film industry, finally getting the chance to make the jump to Hollywood with a potential role in a horror sequel. However, just as she gets her big break, Hollywood starlets start being targeted by a mysterious killer as she tries to keep the darkness in her past hidden.

MaXXXine goes beyond the isolated location of the farmhouse from X and Pearl while also playing in an entirely new genre. MaXXXine is not only a neo-noir horror, but a celebration of cinema especially movies from the 1980s. Ti West helmed the movie once again, with Mia Goth reprising her role as Maxine Minx. The Crown‘s Elizabeth Debicki, Emily in Paris star Lily Collins, and screen legend Kevin Bacon join the movie, along with some other top-tier talent.

Screen Rant interviewed director Ti West, stars Giancarlo Esposito, and Moses Sumney about MaXXXine. West discussed the possibility of continuing the X franchise and revealed why he kept details about MaXXXine from Goth. Esposito shared what drew him to the role and what he was excited to explore with his character, while Sumney explained the connection between his character and Maxine.

Mia Goth “Didn’t Know Any Of It Until I Gave Her The Script”

MaXXXine centers on the titular character after the events of X, but it will also delve further into her origins. West revealed that he kept many aspects of the story a secret from Goth until handing her the script on the plane to the premiere of Pearl.

Ti West: She didn’t know any of it until I gave her the script. I kind of wrote it without telling her on purpose because we had made two movies back to back and that’s a really unique scenario. Then we had some time off because the movies were coming out and I was writing this one and I actually gave it to her at the premiere of Pearl. She knew kind of roughly… She knew it was in Hollywood, and she kind of knew what it was up to, but I also didn’t want to tell her because I didn’t know. So I didn’t want to promise her something and then, oh, I changed it. So no, she read it. I gave it to her on the plane on the way to Venice for the Pearl premiere, and that’s when she found out.

Esposito plays Teddy Knight Esquire, a Hollywood agent and lawyer who works with Maxine. He shared what drew him to the role and how intrigued he is by the concept of someone taking on a persona. Esposito also discussed the nurturing qualities of Teddy, especially with how he works with young stars like Maxine.

Giancarlo Esposito: I’m always fascinated with people who wear masks and have shed one mask for another. It was out of a conversation I had with Ti about how people in Hollywood seem to be, they’re not who they are now or they’re not who they used to be, and they’ve traded in for something else and they completely take on that persona. And I was intrigued by that. I normally am, because I feel like when you recreate yourself somewhere else as some other human being, then you take on all the trappings of it and Teddy’s good at it.

He probably did something else that was pretty reprehensible in a past life, but he actually is a pretty good agent. I think the best part of him is that he has a nurturing quality that seems fatherly, but that also is emblematic of someone who believes in someone else and gives good advice. It’s sort of the moment in the film where Elizabeth Debicki’s character says, Whatever else is going on in your life, squash it. Right? She can see through that something’s troubling you. I don’t have all of your attention. Are you listening to me?

I mean, all that stuff is so very important, but Teddy does it being firm, but with a gentle, compassionate understanding and allows you hope that you could trust him and he’s going to guide you in the right way. You have talent. I see you doing it. Forget about all that other stuff you’re doing. Focus and get it done.

The Secrecy Around The X Trilogy Is “Part Of What’s Been Fun” About Making It

Sumney explained the friendship between Leon and Maxine. He revealed that Leon, a movie lover, is one of the few people Maxine can be vulnerable with. Sumney also reflects on working with Goth.

Moses Sumney: Leon is great because he’s the only person in Maxine’s life who doesn’t necessarily want anything from her. Seemingly the only person that Maxine trusts. It’s the only time we actually see her being vulnerable is when she’s with Leon and he just loves movies and seemingly loves Maxine. It was really great working with Mia and getting to develop a relationship with her that we could connect the characters to after seeing her, not only in the first two movies, but I mean the first time I saw Mia at a movie was like 10 years ago. So working with her, but also all of the other people in this cast that I’ve been watching my whole life, it’s pretty cool, I got to say.

West discussed the possibility of a fourth movie in the X franchise. Perhaps most intriguing is why he prefers to approach these movies from a place of mystery. West wanted audiences to be able to experience MaXXXine, especially with so many movies being spoiled today.

Ti West: We’ll see. I mean, the thing is that I made X and no one really knew we were making that movie, and then we made Pearl and no one really didn’t know we were making that movie. And then we came out with X and we told everyone, we made a secret movie called Pearl, and then when we told everyone about Pearl, we told we were going to make another movie called Maxxxine. And so part of what’s been fun about making these movies is not having everything be known before you make them. Whether it’s another thing in this or not, I’m just not going to tell you.

Because it’s been part of the fun of this is kind of going back to the pageantry of not putting everything out on the internet and letting people go in. I mean, especially with this movie and since you’ve seen it, it’s like this is a movie where I really want people to go in not knowing what’s happening. Not just because of the plot, but just because of so many of the scenes and so many of the things in it. To be able to go in and really be like, I actually don’t know what to expect of this movie is so rare now.

And because these three movies are so different for one another, it’s really fun for me to say, You don’t know. Even if you’ve seen the other movies, it doesn’t matter. This will be a very new experience for you. And so I’m doing my best to just to hang onto that as much as I can in a world where everybody’s trying to scoop everything.

About MaXXXine

In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx finally gets her big break. But as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Hollywood, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past.

Check out our other MaXXXine interview with Kevin Bacon & Elizabeth Debicki.

Source: Screen Rant Plus