Fort Worth
A new Western starring a familiar Fort Worth face will premiere in North Texas this fall.
Deadline reported Tuesday that “Last Train to Fortune” will hit Dallas theaters on Sept. 23. The film will first premiere in New York on Sept. 18, followed by Dallas and then Los Angeles on Sept. 25, with plans to expand the theatrical rollout in other markets throughout the fall.
“Last Train to Fortune” stars Malcolm McDowell and James Paxton, son of Fort Worth native Bill Paxton, who died in 2017.
The film “follows Cecil Peachtree (McDowell), a schoolteacher, and Dooley (Paxton), an outlaw, as they strike a deal and develop an odd friendship along the road to Fortune after having to deal with gunfights, jailbreaks and saloon gals on the way,” according to the logline.
James Paxton’s new film sets release
Paxton is stepping into a role his father was supposed to play back in the 1990s in an earlier iteration of the project. In fact, the young actor and his father have circled similar roles before.
In Marvel’s “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D,” Paxton played a younger version of his dad’s character “John Garrett.” Paxton had a small role in 2024’s “Twisters,” a legacy sequel to the 1996 original that starred his father.
The father and son also appeared together in 2003’s “Spy Kids 3: Game Over,” the 2015 miniseries “Texas Rising” and in an episode of “Training Day,” one of the last projects the elder Paxton appeared in before his death. The young Paxton also appeared in his father’s second directorial effort, “The Greatest Game Ever Played.”
James Paxton in “Last Train to Fortune.” Greg Gorman Courtesy of TriCoast Entertainment More on Paxton
Paxton, 32, has been acting since the mid-2010s, appearing in films like “Velvet Buzzsaw,” “Low Tide” and “The Fanatic.”
He is also a musician, performing with his band “Soundaze” and solo project “Love Pax.” Earlier this year, Paxton released new music through both creative entities.
Before the event, Bob Schieffer met Bill Paxton’s son James Paxton (far right). Journalists who covered the trip to Texas of President John F. Kennedy, and local residents who heard the historic last speech, plan to shared their stories at “Fort Worth Remembers JFK” program at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. Wednesday, September 11, 2013. Participating are journalist Bob Schieffer and actor Bill Paxton. The Schieffer School of Journalism and the Star-Telegram are partners in producing the program. Paul Moseley Star-Telegram
With his father being from Fort Worth, Paxton, who was born in California, has visited Cowtown over the years.
Some of those visits included stops at the Lone Star Film Festival, which was created by Paxton’s father and local film advocate Johnny Langdon. A look back at the Star-Telegram’s archives shows a young Paxton with his father at the festival.
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Lone Star Film Society honors Bill Paxton FW Community Arts Center: January 21, 2006 L-R: Therese Moncrief, James Paxton, Lydia Paxton, Louise Paxton, Bill Paxton. Sharon Corcoran Fort Worth Star-Telegram 
Actor Bill Paxton poses with his son James outside of the AMC Palace 9 theater in Fort Worth, Friday, Nov. 9, 2007. Bill Janscha Special to the Star-Telegram/Bill Janscha
“Last Train to Fortune” hits Dallas theaters on Sept. 23.
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Brayden Garcia is the entertainment reporter at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, where he mainly writes about how the film and TV industry impacts North Texas, from Taylor Sheridan shows to the Fort Worth Film Commission and everything in between.