PEARL Trailer

Discover a gruesome origin story in Pearl, the latest from co-writer/director Ti West.

It’s impossible to talk about Pearl without talking about X, West’s slasher released back in March that is, in my opinion, one of the best of the year so far. It’s big shoes for Pearl to fill, although technically X filled Pearl’s shoes, as this origin story serves a prequel to that film’s rural blood soaking.

Ti West, you see, is embarking on a loose franchise, taking inspiration from particular movies and film movements and putting them through a horror filter. It made perfect sense for X, which drew from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and the independent, smutty film movement of the 1970s. Pearl, though, takes the concept in a whole new direction.

Following the young Pearl (Mia Goth reprises the role and picks up a co-writing credit), who in X was the elderly woman hiding a big secret, we see how her hopes turn to bloody frustration as she pines for the glamour of Old Hollywood. This entry takes inspiration from films much older and sweeter than X did, but there’s sure to be nothing sweet about Pearl once she lets loose.

This will be a major test case for the concept, because while X came into fruition on its own, Pearl (and any subsequent entries that may come to pass) was more like background work that unfurled into its own movie. How far West can push the concept will be interesting to see, especially considering how he’s known for masterfully evoking nuanced subgenres of horror with films like The House of the Devil and The Innkeepers. This just might be a perfect niche for him.

Pearl is directed by Ti West and stars Mia Goth, David Corenswet, and Tandi Wright. It will be released in the US on September 16th, 2022. For international release dates, click here.

Are you curious to see how Pearl came to be? Let us know in the comments!