LAST TRAIN TO FORTUNE Trailer Sends Malcolm McDowell and James Paxton on a Wild West Adventure
The Old West is about to get a little more entertaining with Last Train to Fortune, a new indie Western comedy starring Malcolm McDowell and James Paxton as two unlikely traveling companions.
The film has been nearly four decades in the making, and after a long road to the screen, it's finally arrived. The official trailer offers a look at the adventure, which involves an uptight schoolteacher, a dangerous outlaw, and plenty of trouble along the way.
Set in the 1870s, the story follows Cecil Peachtree (McDowell), a proper schoolteacher heading to the frontier town of Fortune, where he's been hired as the new schoolmaster. His journey takes an unexpected turn when he crosses paths with Jedidiah Dooley (Paxton), a rough outlaw who couldn't be more different from him.
The two strike a deal and hit the trail together, facing gunfights, jailbreaks, saloon girls, and whatever other trouble the Wild West throws at them. Somewhere along the way, their uneasy partnership develops into an unlikely friendship.
The film also stars Mary Steenburgen, Bernadette Peters, and Laura Marano, with Adam Rifkin (Detroit Rock City, The Last Movie Star) directing.
The screenplay for this movie was written 37 years ago by Michele Rifkin, and the original plan was to have Bill Paxton play Dooley opposite McDowell, with Lindsay Anderson directing.
Unfortunately, Anderson passed away before the film could get made, and the project remained unfinished for decades. Following Bill Paxton's death, the filmmakers approached his son, James Paxton, about taking over the role his father had originally been set to play. James eventually agreed.
Beyond the Western comedy and odd-couple adventure, the filmmakers also have something to say about the importance of education:
"Although [it's] is set in the 1870s, its message could not be more urgent or relevant today. At a time when books are being banned across the country and education itself is increasingly under attack, the film reaffirms a timeless truth: education sets us free."
It's a fitting theme for a story about a schoolteacher trying to make his way through a world where most disagreements seem to be settled with a six-shooter.
The trailer looks mildly amusing, with McDowell and Paxton playing off each other's contrasting personalities. It doesn't look like anything particularly special, but the cast and the film's history give it some appeal, especially knowing how long it took to finally get made.
Last Train to Fortune premiered at the 2025 Ojai Film Festival before opening in theaters on September 18, 2026. The film is currently playing in theaters, with a VOD release coming soon.