See James Van Der Beek's sinister role in posthumous film 'The Gates'

Brendan Morrow, USA TODAYWed, February 18, 2026 at 6:32 PM UTC

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James Van Der Beek fans can still look forward to seeing the actor on screen again.

Before his death Feb. 11 at age 48, the "Dawson's Creek" star filmed a few upcoming projects, including the new thriller "The Gates," which dropped its first trailer on Wednesday, Feb. 18.

The movie centers on three college students who, during a road trip, take "an ill-advised shortcut through a remote gated community, where they find themselves trapped behind the walls after witnessing a murder," the logline says.

Van Der Beek stars as the perpetrator of the murder, a pastor who "emerges as the cunning patriarch that holds the entire community under his influence," according to the studio, which said the actor is at his "most charming and terrifying" in the role.

James Van Der Beek as Jacob in "The Gates."

The trailer shows Van Der Beek's character murdering a woman before he begins plotting to hunt down the witnesses. "I have been called upon to lead this community," he says. "Those boys seek to destroy us."

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Mason Gooding, Algee Smith and Keith Powers also star in "The Gates," which was written and directed by John Burr and is set for release on March 13.

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Van Der Beek died on Feb. 11 after a battle with colorectal cancer. He was 48. The actor, best known for his celebrated role as Dawson Leery on "Dawson's Creek," was first diagnosed in August 2023.

Van Der Beek will also posthumously appear in the upcoming Prime Video series "Elle," a prequel to "Legally Blonde" centered on a younger version of Elle Woods. Lexi Minetree stars in the role originated by Reese Witherspoon. The series is set to debut in July.

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1 / 0James Van Der Beek's career from 'Dawson's Creek' to 'Varsity Blues'

From "Dawson's Creek" darling to "Dancing With the Stars," James Van Der Beek, who died Feb. 11 at 48, made a name for himself in film and television in the early '90s. Revisit the actor's most memorable roles and career highlights, starting with Van Der Beek as Dawson Leery in "Dawson's Creek."

Witherspoon, who is producing "Elle," paid tribute to Van Der Beek after his death, remembering him in an Instagram story as an "extraordinary, talented man who also showed great kindness and grace in every action."

She added, "Praying all the angels watch over his family during this difficult time."

Van Der Beek's other recent projects included a part in the show "Overcompensating," and he was a contestant on "The Masked Singer" in 2025.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: James Van Der Beek's 'The Gates' trailer teases star's posthumous role

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