Mia Goth and Ti West reunite for MaXXXine: What can we expect from this 80s horror mashup? – Screen Shot
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Mia Goth and Ti West reunite for MaXXXine: What can we expect from this 80s horror mashup?

It may just be a one minute teaser trailer but the internet is already obsessing over our first glimpse into the latest instalment of the X trilogy. Whether you’re a fan of horror movies or, like me, left childhood sleepovers severely traumatised, Mia Goth and director Ti West’s recent collaborations aren’t ones to miss. But all the style, fashion and fits emerging from the latest instalment in the trilogy is anything but horrifying. 

Unlike her characters that are desperately seeking fame, Goth is well on her way to stardom. Deemed horror’s new Ii girl, the 29-year-old British actress is well and truly carving her name (in blood) into Hollywood. Goth’s filmography is eclectic, ranging from horror flicks, to period dramas like Emma, a film she starred in alongside fellow Brit actress Anya Taylor-Joy.

This year, she’ll be returning to our screens in the psychological thriller Infinity Pool directed by Brandon Cronenberg, son of the acclaimed body horror enthusiast and director David Cronenberg. Now that’s what you call range.

Despite a growing career in film, Goth has also established herself as a fashion guru and alternative it girl. A long term relationship with Miu Miu has seen her star in the brand’s SS15 campaign, which was subsequently criticised for sexualising a young girl despite Goth being 22 years old at the time. Her innocent looks might have worked for movies but not for Miu Miu, it seemed.

More recently, the actress also opened the label’s FW23 show earlier this year, looking very librarian chic, a stark contrast to Pearl’s get up.

Despite coming second in the plot line, the first movie X follows an amateur film crew striving to make a porno in an elderly couple’s eerily remote Texan ranch. We also see a very different side to Goth’s co-stars Jenna Ortega and Brittany Snow—it’s safe to say that the Wednesday pigtails have very much been chopped and severed off for Ortega.

Set in the late 70s, X is a vision of oversized collars, blown out hair and powder blue eyeshadow. That, combined with the plot line—think Daisy Jones & The Sixth gone immensely wrong. Without scrutinising the credits, you’re likely to have missed that Goth plays both the young adult film actor Maxine Minx, and the elderly Pearl loaded in prosthetics. It’s a horror movie after all, it would be rude not to.

In contrast to the prequel, in which Goth took on the role of a much younger Pearl on her quest for fame and fortune, in MaXXXine, the actress sports playful pigtails and prairie dresses. Pearl, the movie, provides us with a backstory for X’s antagonists. Without giving too much away after watching the prequel, echoes of Pearl screaming “Please, I’m a star! Noooo I’m a star!” will haunt you right into MaXXXine’s much guarded release date.

A24 really put the tease in teaser trailer, with a one-minute pan of the Hollywood sign being replaced by the film’s title. What we do know is that the film is set in Los Angeles in 1985 and that Goth will reprise her role of Pearl accompanied by none other than American singer Halsey.

 

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In a stand-alone promo pic, Pearl seems to have got everything she wanted striding through LA in a glittery bodycon mini-dress. Her blown out 70s curls and eyebrows have been frazzled with peroxide. Would we be naive enough to think blondes really do have more fun? Pearl’s terrifying past says yes.

 

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The release date is yet to be announced but we’re sure when we are finally brought into Pearl’s 1980s world, the TikTok trends will quickly emerge. Bleached brows will make a comeback, whether you like it or not. Colour blocking is an 80s staple, especially with bold colours and bodycon silhouettes. As she makes her transition from music to movies, Halsey makes a case for oversized fur coats and buzzcuts.

It may still be early days for MaXXXine but so far it’s looking more cool than creepy. With a flurry of famous faces joining Halsey and Goth, including Elizabeth Debicki who swaps her royal pearls from The Crown for Pearl herself while Lily Collins attempts to redeem her reputation after the polarising Emily In Paris. Being set in the 80s, West couldn’t avoid being also joined by 80s icon and recent TikTok star Kevin Bacon.

While we wish Pearl all the best in her upcoming 80s adventure, feel-good films just aren’t Goth’s style. For now, we can relish in the bliss of teaser trailers and look forward to being inundated with 80s fashion that’ll slice through all the Y2K chaos. At some point the winds are bound to change and horror, gore and a whole bunch of creepy smiles will prove fame and fortune is much easier said than done.

The Flash director and producer speak out on Ezra Miller controversy following drop of new trailer

After months of speculation and anticipation, DC finally released a full-scaled trailer for its upcoming blockbuster The Flash. And, while most fans watched with bated breath, hoping to spot their favourite superhero or villain, anguishing over the cinematic effects and celebrating when OG Batman Michael Keaton appeared on screen, others felt a twinge of internal friction and discord. Because how can we be so excited about a film which, at its very core, is platforming and promoting the very controversial and highly problematic Ezra Miller?

Now, before we dive into the most recent updates surrounding the celebrity, it’s important to briefly recap some of the most significant aspects of Miller’s dicey history. The actor has been arrested on numerous occasions and for countless different reasons, spanning from burglary and public nuisance charges to serious assault allegations—including an incident in 2020 where Miller allegedly choked a woman after an altercation at a bar.

Following this, the The Perks of Being a Wallflower actor also faced accusations of grooming and mistreating a young environmentalist named Tokata Iron Eyes. The young activist was only 12 years old when they first met Miller (who was 23 at the time) and the two struck up a friendship. Over the past few years, rumours have surfaced that Miller repeatedly gave Iron Eyes alcohol, drugs, and also kept the activist isolated from friends and family.

While people might assume that the combination of all of these behaviours would have resulted in Miller facing a swift exile from the film industry, they’d be wrong. Having first secured the role of Barry Allen / The Flash in 2014, and having featured in DC film Justice League, it was officially confirmed that the actor would indeed reprise their role in the 2023 eponymous film The Flash.

Fans have had very mixed opinions on Miller’s continuing involvement in the DC Universe. Some are far too enamoured with their portrayal of The Flash to be majorly concerned, while others have stated that they’ll be boycotting the film in protest.

The top dogs behind the upcoming movie have also now made a public statement regarding Miller. According to Entertainment Weekly, director Andy Muschietti and producer Barbara Muschietti spoke to press on the Warner Bros. lot in Los Angeles on Monday 24 April to screen the current cut of the film in its entirety and participate in a Q&A.

When asked about Miller’s current state of mind, the two responded: “We’re all hoping that they get better… They’re taking the steps to recovery. They’re dealing with mental health issues, but they’re well. We talked to them not too long ago, and they’re very committed to getting better.”

The producer concluded: “And, I have to say, during our shoot, during principal photography, their commitment to the role was something we’ve never seen. And the discipline to the work, the willingness—physical, mental, and just wanting to go beyond the pale—is just amazing.”

Some netizens have been comparing the treatment of Miller with that of Marvel actor Jonathan Majors, who, after being charged with assault on 25 March 2023 and being faced with a myriad of abuse allegations, was dropped by his management. It’s still unknown as to whether or not Majors will be allowed to keep his current spot as villain Kang in future Marvel films, but it’s highly probable that the actor will also be dropped from those projects.

The overall consensus is that Majors has been rightfully ousted, however, some individuals are definitely keen to address the hypocrisy of Miller seemingly still welcomed and protected within DC’s arms.

The Flash is set to hit our screens on 16 June, and whichever side you sit on within this debate, it’s sure to be an interesting opening weekend.