Summary
Xhas become a major hit on streaming after its release in 2022. Directed by Ti West,Xtakes place in 1979 and follows a group of young filmmakers attempting to shoot a pornographic movie at a secluded ranch in rural Texas who find themselves the targets of the ranch’s elderly owners. The film, which stars Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Kid Cudi, and Brittany Snow, currently boasts a strong 94% on Rotten Tomatoes. It now serves as the first part in the largerXtrilogy that includesPearl and MaXXXine.
Reelgoodnow reveals thatXranks as the seventh most popular movie on streaming in the U.S. for the week of June 27 – July 23. The film, which is available to watch on Kanopy, beats out the likes ofA Quiet Place Part II,Inside Out, and the second entry in West’s horror trilogy,Pearl. Check out the top 10 movies list below:
Kanopy is a free streaming service available to those with a public library card or students currently enrolled in a participating college or university.
X’s Streaming Success Explained
How Does X Compare To Pearl & MaXXXine?
The main reason for the newfound success ofXandPearlon streaming is, of course, the theatrical release ofMaXXXine. Viewers are undoubtedly looking to refamiliarize themselves with the world of West’s franchise and Maxine’s story before checking out the final installment. WhilePearlserves as a prequel toX,MaXXXinecontinues the story of Goth’s character following the traumatic events of the 2022 movie, chronicling her journey in 1980s Hollywood as a mysterious killer targets young starlets.
10 Lingering X & Pearl Questions MaXXXine Can Answer
MaXXXine is the third film in Ti West’s X trilogy, and it will be continuing the story of X and Pearl, meaning that it can answer these 10 questions.
As for how the three films compare,Xcurrently leads the pack both in terms of critical performance and box office.X’s 94% Rotten Tomatoes score beatsPearl’s 92%, andMaXXXinetrails in third with a lower 75%. In general, theMaXXXinecritics' reviewsaren’t quite as glowing as its predecesors, but the film is still ultimately praised as a stylish and suitably bloody trilogy-capper. As seen in the chart below, it’s a different story when it comes to audience reception, however, and it’sPearlthat comes out on top here.
94%
76%
$14.7 million
92%
83%
$9.8 million
75%
78%
$7.8 million (and counting)
BothXandPearlwere made on estimated budgets of only $1 million, meaning both have been major financial successes. It’s not entirely clear whatMaXXXine’s budget is, but the film has gotten off to a strong start at the box office and is likely to also be a success. Clearly, as shown by Reelgood’s streaming chart above,Xremains a memorable first installment in West’s horror trilogy, and both it andPearlare titles that audiences are interested in revisiting.
X
Cast
Director Ti West presents X, a horror slasher film set in 1979 in rural Texas that follows a group of amateur filmmakers attempting to shoot a pornographic film.
