Three stage catalytic process for pyrolysis oil upgrading to xylenes

A method for upgrading pyrolysis oil includes contacting a pyrolysis oil feed with hydrogen in the presence of a mixed metal oxide catalyst in a slurry reactor to produce an intermediate stream comprising light aromatic compounds comprising mono-aromatic compounds, di-aromatic compounds, or both, passing the intermediate stream to a hydrocracking reactor, contacting the intermediate stream with hydrogen in the presence of a hydrocracking catalyst in a hydrocracking reactor to produce a hydrocracking effluent comprising aromatic compounds having six to nine carbon atoms, passing the hydrocracking effluent to a transalkylation reactor, and contacting the hydrocracking effluent with hydrogen in the presence of a transalkylation catalyst in the transalkylation reactor to produce a transalkylation effluent comprising xylenes.