The following contains light spoilers for MaXXXine, now playing in theaters
Summary
Audiences flocking to seeMaXXXinemay wonder ahead of time if the horror film follows the common modern trend of including post-credits scenes. The third entry in director/writer Ti West’sXtrilogy,MaXXXinepicks up years after the events ofX. Now an aspiring actress in Los Angeles, Maxine may finally have her big break inMaXXXine’s central story. However, her past seems to be coming back to haunt her in the form of a relentless private investigator, forcing her to confront the past if she wants any chance to carve out a better future.
MaXXXineis in many ways a throwback to older eras of the horror genre.MaXXXineopenly referencesPsychoand other horror classics. There are also several modern touches and elements to the film, which give it a modern touch that helps truly separate it from previous entries in the genre. However, here’s what you need to about what comes after the movie, and what it means.
The MaXXXine Premiere Celebrates The X Trilogy Becoming A True Summer Blockbuster
The MaXXXine world premiere at the TLC Chinese Theater in Los Angeles proves why Ti West’s new horror film needs to be seen on the big screen.
MaXXXine Does Not Have A Post-Credits Scene
It’s Still Worth Sticking Through The Credits, Though
While it’s worth staying through the credits ofMaXXXine,there is no true post-credits scene after the film.MaXXXinecloses out on a purposefully ambiguous note, with the film’s ending playing into questions about how the climax played out and what truly became of Maxine’s future. These questions aren’t answered by the ending of the film, even as it seems to end on a bittersweet note that looks ahead to a brighter tomorrow.
As the credits roll, the camera steadily pans out of the studio where the in-universe horror filmThe Puritan IIhas been being filmed.This continues through much of the credits, which steadily pulls further and further back through Los Angeles. It’s a clever way to close outMaXXXine, bringing the audience back into the larger scope of Hollywood and playing into potential theories surrounding the film’s ending. After the credits are done, there is also a brief tag featuring a videotape that reminds people to “be kind, rewind.”
A24’s MaXXXine Closes Out A Modern Horror Classic Trilogy
Ti West’s MaXXXine will conclude his critically-acclaimed horror franchise by blending real-life killers with Mia Goth’s titular aspiring actor.
What MaXXXine’s Credits Footage & Tag Means
MaXXXine’s Credits Could Factor Into Theories About The Film’s Ending
MaXXXine’s credits play into the overall themes of the film, highlighting the sheer scale and scope of Hollywood. Given all the effort Maxine has had to go through not just to find stardom there but even just survive, it’s a reminder of the heights she can reach when given the opportunity. There are certain elements of this tracking shot through Los Angeles that could also offer up more material for the inevitable debates surrounding the film’s ending and what it all means.
The tag at the film reminding audiences to be kind and rewind is a reference toa popular phrase in earlier decades of film. When home video was primarily in VHS form, video rental stores (such as the one Maxine’s friend Leon works at inMaXXXine) would ask patrons to be kind and rewind the videos before returning them. It’s a lovely little reference to a bygone era of movies, specifically a period thatMaXXXinefrequently homages. It’s a sweet little reference to a period of horror history that clearly left an impact on Ti West and influencedMaXXXine.
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.
