Selena Gomez’s X-Rated Movie Is the Type of Risks Stars Should Take

Selena Gomez’s decision to star in an X-rated movie is a risk that’ll likely pay off in a big way.

While best known for her contributions to the music industry, Gomez has starred in a number of different projects throughout her career. She played the leading role in Disney’s Wizards of Waverly Place from 2007 to 2012 and now stars as Mabel Mora alongside Martin Short and Steve Martin in Only Murders in the Building. She recently starred as Jessica “Jessi” Del Monte in 2024’s Emilia Pérez and she voices Mavis in the Hotel Transylvania franchise, while her filmography also includes 2019’s The Dead Don’t Die, 2020’s The Broken Hearts Gallery, and more.

Why is Selena Gomez doing an X-rated movie a good thing?

Last week, it was announced by Jeff Sneider’s The InSneider that Gomez will star in a new X-rated movie that is being directed by Brady Corbet. Not much is known about the film’s plot other than it will span from the 19th century into the present day, with the main focus being in the 1970s, meaning it’s unclear why, exactly, it will be rated X.

A move like this is a bit of a risk; even in 2026, X-rated movies carry a certain stigma around with them. Something like Terrifier 3 proved audiences may still show up to the theater without the blessing of the MPA (that was released without a rating rather than receiving an X), but examples like that are few and far between.

So, it’s a risk, but it’s also a smart risk. Having proved she’s talented at both singing and acting, Gomez deserves to work with auteurs like Corbet. And, while we may not know all the behind-the-scenes development and pre-production that’s going on right now, one can imagine that getting funding for an X-rated movie is easier said than done. Gomez being attached to star in the film certainly can help it get a bigger budget than it might otherwise would have.

She could have just voiced a character in a straight-to-streaming animated movie or something and gotten a paycheck that way; rather, Gomez seems to be pushing herself, here, and going out of her way to work with gifted directors, which is always exciting to see.

Source: Comingsoon.net