MaXXXine, the sequel to director Ti West‘s films Pearl and X, is swiftly approaching its July 5th theatrical release date, and the marketing materials have revealed the story of the ’80s-set film involves, to some degree, a real-life serial killer: Richard Ramirez, a.k.a. the Night Stalker. The decision to include the Night Stalker in the film hasn’t gone over well with some who have watched the trailers and West – along with cast members Mia Goth and Elizabeth Debicki – addressed the involvement of the Night Stalker in a new interview with Total Film.

Goth said the Night Stalker element anchors the story and “sets out a breadcrumb trail back to reality. It’s not just some big sweeping horror movie that’s purely for entertainment value. It’s rooted in something.”

When asked which characters might cross paths with the Night Stalker, Debicki said, “I won’t give anything away. The joy of [the film] is there are so many threads at play.“

West was asked if MaXXXine deals with the facts of the Night Stalker case or twists history like Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood imagined a different outcome for the Manson Family members who, in our reality, murdered Sharon Tate and her friends. West answered, “It has more in common with Summer of Sam, the Spike Lee movie [backdropped by the killings of David Berkowitz a.k.a. the Son of Sam, in New York during 1976 and 1977], than it does Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. It does play a significant role in the story, but in its own particular way.“

MaXXXine is written and directed by West. Mia Goth reprises the role of X survivor Maxine Minx, a burlesque performer and adult film actress with the goal of being a star. The film has the following synopsis: In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx finally gets her big break. But as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Hollywood, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past. As you can see in both the most recent trailer and the previous trailer, the Hollywood setting even allows for a visit to the Bates Motel.

Goth and Debicki (Tenet) are joined in the cast by singer Halsey, Kevin Bacon (Tremors), singer Moses Sumney, Michelle Monaghan (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang), Bobby Cannavale (Netflix’s The Watcher), Lily Collins (Emily in Paris), and Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad. The Hollywood Reporter noted that Esposito is playing an agent for adult film and Z-list movie actors, Debicki’s character is a film director, Monaghan and Cannavale play LAPD detectives, and Bacon plays a private detective.

MaXXXine is being produced by A24, Ti West, Jacob Jaffke, Kevin Turen, and Harrison Kreiss. Mia Goth serves as executive producer. 

What do you think of the Night Stalker appearing in MaXXXine? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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