X | |
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![]() Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Ti West |
Written by | Ti West |
Produced by |
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Starring | |
Cinematography | Eliot Rockett |
Edited by |
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Music by | |
Production companies | |
Distributed by | A24 |
Release dates |
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Running time | 106 minutes[1] |
Country | United States[2] |
Language | English |
Budget | $1 million[3] |
Box office | $15.1 million[4][5] |
X is a 2022 American slasher film written, directed, produced and edited by Ti West. It stars Mia Goth in dual roles: a young woman named Maxine, and an elderly woman named Pearl. The film also stars Jenna Ortega, Martin Henderson, Brittany Snow, Owen Campbell, Stephen Ure, and Scott Mescudi. Set in 1979, the film follows a cast and crew who gather to make a pornographic film on an elderly couple's rural Texas property, but find themselves threatened by the homicidal couple.
A24 announced X in November 2020. Principal photography occurred from February 16 to March 16, 2021, primarily in Fordell, New Zealand. Goth underwent extensive prosthetic makeup for Pearl, and special effects were employed to depict violent scenes in the film. Characterized as a contemporary take on psycho-biddy, the film draws inspiration from horror, exploitation, and pornographic films, and emphasizes the interplay between beauty, aging, and self-worth. The score was composed by Tyler Bates and Chelsea Wolfe.
X had its world premiere at South by Southwest (SXSW) on March 13, 2022, and was theatrically released in the United States on March 18, 2022, by A24. It received generally positive reviews from critics. The film is the first in a film series of the same name, consisting of a prequel film titled Pearl released on September 16, 2022, and a sequel titled MaXXXine was released on July 5, 2024.