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X (2022 film)

X is a 2022 American slasher film written, directed, produced, and edited by Ti West.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

X is a 2022 American slasher film written, directed, produced, and edited by Ti West. Set in 1979, it follows a film crew making an adult movie on a rural Texas property who come into conflict with an elderly couple. Mia Goth stars in dual roles, and the film premiered at South by Southwest before its U.S. release in March 2022.

Plot

The film is set in 1979 and follows a group of filmmakers traveling to rural Texas to shoot an adult film. Their work is disrupted when the elderly property owners become violent threats.

Production

Ti West wrote, directed, produced, and edited the film. The cast includes Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Martin Henderson, Brittany Snow, Owen Campbell, Stephen Ure, and Scott Mescudi.

Release

X premiered at South by Southwest on March 13, 2022, and had its U.S. theatrical release on March 18, 2022. The film was released in Canada on or around the same March 18, 2022 release window noted for North America in available sources.

Series

X is the first entry in a horror trilogy centered on Maxine Minx and Pearl. The later films are Pearl (2022) and MaXXXine (2024).

Key facts

  • X premiered at the 2022 South by Southwest festival on March 13, 2022.
  • The film was released in the United States on March 18, 2022.
  • Mia Goth plays dual roles, including the characters Maxine and Pearl.
  • The story centers on a film crew shooting an adult film at a rural Texas property.
  • X is the first film in Ti West's X trilogy, followed by Pearl and MaXXXine.
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Canadian context

The film was released in Canada on or around the same March 18, 2022 release window noted for North America in available sources.

Frequently asked questions

What is X about?
It follows a film crew making an adult movie on a rural Texas property in 1979, where they are threatened by the elderly owners.
Who directed X?
X was written, directed, produced, and edited by Ti West.
Who stars in X?
The cast includes Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Martin Henderson, Brittany Snow, Owen Campbell, Stephen Ure, and Scott Mescudi.
When was X released?
It premiered on March 13, 2022, at South by Southwest and was released in U.S. cinemas on March 18, 2022.
Is X part of a series?
Yes. It is the first film in Ti West's X trilogy, followed by Pearl and MaXXXine.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_(2022_film)
    Supports: Director, release date, cast, plot, setting, and basic film details.
  2. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_(film_series)
    Supports: X as the first film in the X trilogy and the later films Pearl and MaXXXine.
  3. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13560574/
    Supports: Runtime, release date, and plot synopsis.