The first trailer for ‘The Gates,’ one of James Van Der Beek’s final screen roles, arrived a week after the actor’s death. The horror thriller premieres March 13 and casts Van Der Beek as a pastor with a chilling secret. The ‘Dawson’s Creek’ star died on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, at age 48 after battling bowel cancer. Lionsgate released the footage.According to Hello!, the film is directed by John Burr and stars Mason Gooding, Algee Smith, and Keith Powers as three friends who take a shortcut home and stumble into danger. They witness a murder and soon realize they are trapped in a community led by Pastor Jacob, played by Van Der Beek, who exerts a strange control over his followers.
‘The Gates’ trailer shows James Van Der Beek’s dark role as a pastor
In the trailer for ‘The Gates,’ tension builds quickly. “We were just trying to pass through, and we saw something, and now this psycho is after us,” Gooding’s character says to a man who appears to offer help. The role is played by Brad Leland of ‘Friday Night Lights.’“That is my pastor, Jacob,” Brad’s character replies.Van Der Beek’s character then addresses his flock. “I have been called upon to lead this community, and those boys seek to destroy us,” he says. Later, he confronts Gooding’s character with a chilling line: “You understand now? Inside these gates, I am a God.”
James Van Der Beek’s death and final projects
Van Der Beek’s family confirmed his death on Instagram. His wife, Kimberly, wrote, “Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace. There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come.”“For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”The actor was diagnosed with bowel cancer in late 2023. He married Kimberly in 2010. The couple shared six children: Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn, and Jeremiah.Last September, he was scheduled to attend a ‘Dawson’s Creek’ reunion organized by Michelle Williams but could not appear due to ill health. Another of his final roles will appear in the Prime Video series ‘Elle,’ a prequel to ‘Legally Blonde,’ set to premiere in July.James Van Der Beek was an American actor best known for playing Dawson Leery on the hit television series ‘Dawson’s Creek.’ Born on March 8, 1977, in Cheshire, Connecticut, he rose to fame in the late 1990s and became a familiar face in film and television. He built a career that moved easily across drama, comedy, and smaller independent projects, staying active on screen into his final years. Among his latest work, he appears in the horror thriller ‘The Gates’ and the Prime Video series ‘Elle.’ He was diagnosed with bowel cancer in late 2023. Van Der Beek died on February 11, 2026, at 48.
