Bill Paxton’s Son to Play Father’s Role in “Last Train to Fortune”

Bill Paxton’s son, James Paxton, will honor his father by taking on his role in the upcoming film Last Train to Fortune. The Twister star, Bill Paxton, passed away in 2017 due to a stroke that occurred 11 days after a heart valve replacement surgery. This led to his family filing and later settling a wrongful death lawsuit against the Los Angeles hospital and surgeon involved in the procedure.

James Paxton, at 30 years old, will step into the role of outlaw Jedidiah Dooley in Adam Rifkin’s Western. The film also stars Malcolm McDowell as Cecil Peachtree, a schoolteacher who encounters Jedidiah after missing his train to a new job. The two then decide to embark on their journey together.

In an interview with People, Malcolm McDowell shared that he had been attempting to bring Last Train to Fortune to fruition for decades. Initially, both Bill Paxton and director Lindsay Anderson were involved when the project began in 1944. However, the death of Anderson that same year led to the project being shelved.

“I said, ‘I’ve always loved that script. It’s such a beautiful script, really,’” McDowell explained when discussing his reasons for revisiting the project. “‘Why don’t we get James Paxton to do it? He’d be the same age as his dad was, almost. A little bit younger, but even better.’”

James Paxton has been carving out his own acting career for over a decade, appearing in various notable projects. His work includes roles in the Marvel action series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, the crime thriller show Training Day, and Erin Elder’s mystery film The Cleaner.

In addition to his role in Last Train to Fortune, James is also set to feature in the Twister remake, starring Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones. This choice serves as both a professional endeavor and a tribute to his late father, who played Bill Harding in the original 1996 storm thriller.

Bill Paxton, originally from Fort Worth, Texas, was a prolific actor from the early 1980s until his passing. He amassed nearly 100 credits in various films and television shows, including memorable roles in Twister and Weird Science. At the time of his death, he was starring in the CBS drama series Training Day.

In 2018, Bill Paxton’s family filed a lawsuit against surgeon Dr. Ali Khoynezhad, alleging that he used a “high risk and unconventional surgical approach” for Paxton’s heart valve replacement. The lawsuit claimed the surgeon lacked the necessary experience for the procedure and downplayed its risks.

After a prolonged four-year legal battle, the family reached a settlement out of court under confidential terms in August 2022. James and Lydia Paxton’s attorney released a statement saying, “The matter has been resolved to the mutual satisfaction of the parties.”

James Paxton stepping into his father’s role in Last Train to Fortune serves as a heartfelt continuation of Bill Paxton’s legacy within the film industry.

Source: People