Horror Thriller THE GATES Trailer Unleashes James Van Der Beek in a Twisted Cult Nightmare
Lionsgate has released the official trailer for The Gates, an indie horror thriller from filmmaker John Burr, and it looks like the kind of nightmare road trip that spirals fast and doesn’t let up.
The film throws three college students into a gated religious community where paranoia, control, and something far darker take hold. The tagline says it all: “One way in. No way out.”
The story follows three friends played by Mason Gooding, Algee Smith, and Keith Powers, who are just trying to get from point A to point B. Instead, they take a shortcut through a remote gated neighborhood and witness a murder. From there, things go completely sideways.
“They’re trapped inside the community, accused of the crime, and hunted by residents who believe they’re responsible. As the night drags on, their friendship starts to crack under pressure, and their clashing belief systems only make things worse.
And then there’s the man running the show.
James Van Der Beek plays the calculating patriarch who controls the entire community with an unnerving calm. The trailer slowly reveals that this isn’t just a creepy neighborhood.
It’s a full-blown cult thriller, and Van Der Beek’s character sits at the center of it like a spider in a web. The religious overtones, the blind devotion of his followers, and the isolation of the gated setting make the whole thing feel claustrophobic and dangerous.
The Gates marks the final performance of Van Der Beek, who recently passed away. Director John Burr shared a heartfelt statement with Collider about working with him:
"Even though he is no longer with us, his energy somehow feels like it lives on, bringing us all back together again, inspiring us to live life the way he did. I am grateful for that. And so, on behalf of the entire filmmaking team, I'd like to express our heartbreak at James' passing, and our joy to have been so lucky to know him."
It adds another layer to the experience knowing this will be the last time audiences see Van Der Beek and his performance looks intense, controlled, and unsettling.
Visually, the trailer leans into the eerie isolation of the community, mixing religious imagery with escalating violence and psychological tension. The idea of a gated sanctuary turning into a trap feels especially creepy. Once those gates close, the outside world might as well not exist.
If you’re into cult horror, psychological breakdowns, and survival thrillers that pit belief against instinct, The Gates looks like it could deliver something disturbing.
Lionsgate releases The Gates in limited theaters on March 13th, 2026.