MaXXXine, the long awaited sequel toX, has finally been released, and here’s how long after Ti West’s original slasher the film takes place. AlthoughMaXXXineis thethird film in Ti West’sXfranchise, its successorPearlwas anXprequel, withMaXXXinebeing the first proper sequel toX.MaXXXinestill follows originalXmovie protagonist Maxine Minx, although this time in an entirely new location and era. So, here is whenMaXXXineis set compared to 2022’sXas well as everything that happened between both slasher films.

After the originalXmovie was released, many fans were yearning to see what happened to Maxine Minx after she escaped the farm massacre from the originalX. While thesecondXfilm,Pearl, gave more context to the titular killer, the release ofMaXXXinepromised to finally follow up on this tense cliffhanger, showing what Maxine got up to while continuing to pursue her acting career. While it is the same character,Maxine Minx is an entirely different person by the timeMaXXXinerolls around, with several years having passed betweenXand its sequel.

Mia Goth in MaXXXine and Pearl

MaXXXine Is Set In 1985

Creating The Film’s 1980s Aesthetic

Xwas a homage to the slasher movies of the 1970s, with its setting and tone clearly beinginspired by classics likeThe Texas Chain Saw Massacre. However, it was clear thatMaXXXinewas going in an entirely different direction from the release of the very first trailer, with it inspired by the video nasties of the 1980s.MaXXXineis set in Hollywood in 1985, with it picking up several years after Maxine escaped the farm massacre inX.A lot has changed in the world ofXsince the original film, setting up the events of the third film.

MaXXXine Takes Place 6 Years After X

Well After Maxine’s Farm Escape

2022’sXtook place in 1979, meaning thatMaXXXinetakes place six years after the events of the original film. Rather than picking up right afterMaxine left Howard and Pearl’s farm, the sequel instead jumps into the future, with Maxine having established a life for herself in Hollywood. This allowsMaXXXineto leave behind the 1970s vibe of the original film in favor of the neon lights and music of the 1980s, creating an entirely different tone for the sequel.

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Despite the time jump, news of the massacre at Howard and Pearl’s farm is still big, with Maxine having to hide from her role in the killings. UnlikePearl, which can act as an entirely stand-alone film due to it being anXprequel,Xis essential viewing forMaXXXine’s story.The fact that much ofMaXXXine’s story centers around Maxine being threatenedby someone with information regarding her role inX’s story shows that the six year gap hasn’t done much for Maxine, with this adding to the tension of Ti West’s story.

Mia Goth’s Maxine smiling, scared, and dancing in MaXXXine

Everything That Has Happened To Mia Goth’s Character Between X & MaXXXine

A Lot Happened In Between The Films

A lot happened toMia Goth’s Maxine Minxbetween the events ofXandMaXXXine, and here is a full breakdown of it all. Sometime after escaping the massacre at Howard and Pearl’s farm, Maxine moved to Hollywood in an attempt to pursue her acting career. Once there, Maxine made friends with aspiring actress Amber James as well as adult video store employee Leon, with her talking to them about her acting struggles.

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In the six years sinceX, Maxine constantly tried to get acting jobs, although not to much avail.MaXXXinemakes it clear that she has been consistently auditioning for parts, with her staying determined despite her professional failings. However, this all changes at the very beginning ofMaXXXine, with her landing a major role in the in-universe filmThe Puritan II. This is what allows Maxine’s film career to finally take off, although it comes at a bad time for the character.

MaXXXine Film Poster

During the six year gap between films, Maxine’s religious father found out about her time at Howard and Pearl’s farm. He tracked her to Hollywood and hired a private investigator, Kevin Bacon’s John Labat, to learn even more about her. In the background ofMaXXXine, Maxine’s father has also managed to form a cult centered around fighting back against the sexual and demonic influence that they believe has overtaken Hollywood, leading tothe end ofMaXXXine. Much ofMaXXXine’sstory is concerned with what happened between films, with these six years being vital.

MaXXXine

Cast

In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx lands her big break, but her rise to stardom is jeopardized by a mysterious killer targeting starlets. As the body count rises, secrets from Maxine’s past threaten to surface, intertwining her quest for fame with a deadly game of survival.