MaXXXine director teases X sequel's "gruesome" deaths, though admits it's not as obviously horror as its predecessors

Given how they're both packed with gore and jumpy moments, there's no denying that the first two installments of Ti West's X trilogy, X and Pearl, are horror movies. MaXXXine, the upcoming third chapter, is a little different, though, according to the director.

While he'd still describe it as a scary movie, West admits to SFX magazine that his definition of the genre might not align with other people's. "If you're expecting something like X, something very in your face, a horror beat all the time, it's broader than that," he candidly explains in the new issue, which features The Boys season 4 on the cover. "At the same time, though, not everybody makes it to the end of this movie, and they die in pretty gruesome ways!"

Okay, so MaXXXine is still going to deliver on the blood, then...

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Starring Bobby Cannavale, Michelle Monaghan, Halsey, Elizabeth Debicki, and Mia Goth in the titular role, the movie catches up with Maxine six years after she emerged as the sole survivor of a murderous old woman's attack during a porn shoot in rural Texas. (Goth also played said older woman, Pearl, before portraying younger version of the character in the follow-up). Having made her way to Hollywood, Maxine is hellbent on putting the past behind her and becoming a legitimate actress, but when a serial killer starts offing young starlets up and down Los Angeles, she finds herself going toe to toe with the mysterious figure.

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"My movies are horror movies, but people who don't like horror tend to like them," West continues. "The big hurdle for me is trying to convince them – 'You say you hate horror movies, but it's not what you think, give it a try.' We showed Elizabeth Debicki the movie the other day at 9am, which is a horrible time to watch it, and afterwards she said, 'I hate horror movies and I was stressed out about watching it,' but then she really had a blast with it. Right from the get-go, she was on board."

MaXXXine releases on July 5 in US and UK theaters. The above is just a snippet from our interview, available in the latest issue of SFX magazine, which features The Boys season 4 on the cover and is available from Wednesday, June 12. Check out what you should look for on newsstands below...

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