Film & TV4 min(s) read
Fans make tragic observation about James Van Der Beek movie as most of its main stars have now died
When Varsity Blues stormed into theaters in January 1999, it delivered a raw, rebellious look at high school football culture in West Texas — and audiences couldn’t get enough.
The MTV-produced drama followed the West Canaan Coyotes as they battled ruthless expectations, a win-at-all-costs coach, and the pressures of growing up in a town obsessed with Friday night lights.
The film earned more than $54 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo, and while it was only a modest box office success at first, it evolved into a full-blown cult favorite.
But nearly three decades later, the legacy of Varsity Blues has taken on a far darker tone.
Fans Discuss Varsity Blues "Curse"
With the death of James Van Der Beek at 48 on Wednesday after a battle with colorectal cancer, fans have been left reeling — and some are even calling the film “cursed,” per PEOPLE.
Online reactions poured in immediately.
"That movie is definitely cursed," one user said, another added, "Varsity Blues cast seems cursed," and another asked, "So 3 out of the 5 main cast members from Varsity Blues all passed away under 50?"
James Van Der Beek’s Death at 48 After Colorectal Cancer
At the center of Varsity Blues was James Van Der Beek, who played Jon “Mox” Moxon — the reluctant backup quarterback forced to step up when the team’s star player goes down.
Van Der Beek took on the role at the height of his Dawson’s Creek fame, eager to flex a different kind of muscle.
In 2023, Van Der Beek was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. He publicly shared the news in November 2024.
Van Der Beek, who was father to six children with wife Kimberly, 44, died on February 11, 2026, at age 48.
Paul Walker’s Shocking Death at 40
Paul Walker played Lance Harbor, the Coyotes’ golden-boy quarterback whose devastating injury sets the film’s story in motion.
Walker would go on to star in She’s All That later that same year before landing his career-defining role as Brian O’Connor in 2001’s The Fast and the Furious. He appeared in six films in the franchise, last showing up posthumously in 2015’s Furious 7.
But on November 30, 2013, tragedy struck.
Walker died at 40 in a car crash in Valencia, California, alongside friend Roger Rodas, who was driving.
Ron Lester’s Health Struggles and Death at 45
Ron Lester portrayed Billy Bob, the overworked offensive lineman who collapses on the field — a pivotal moment in the film that exposes Coach Bud Kilmer’s disregard for player safety.
He died in June 2016 at age 45 due to kidney and liver failure in a Dallas hospital after being hospitalized for four months. He was with his fiancée Jennifer Worland at the time, just a month after announcing their engagement.
Joe Pichler’s Mysterious Disappearance at 18
Joe Pichler played Kyle, Moxon’s younger brother, adding comedic relief as a teen rebelling against football culture.
Off-screen, the young actor had built a solid résumé in the late 1990s and early 2000s, appearing in films including Beethoven's 3rd, Beethoven's 4th, The Fan, and TV shows such as Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and Touched by an Angel.
But on January 5, 2006, at age 18, Pichler was last heard from after a 4:00AM phone call to a friend. His 2005 Toyota Corolla was later found abandoned in Bremerton, Washington, per the Daily Mail.
Inside the vehicle was a two-page note containing poetry and reflections, including regrets about not having been a 'stronger brother.'
Detective Robbie Davis told the AP at the time: "There’s a good indication that it might have been a suicide," Davis said, "but we don’t know that."
Pichler’s siblings strongly disagreed.
His sister Shawna said: "He’s probably too embarrassed to come home. In the worst-case scenario, if anything, it’s foul play. But not suicide."
His brother Matthew added: "He left that note saying that he wanted to start over."
Pichler remains classified as a missing person, and his disappearance remains unsolved.
A Cult Classic Marked by Tragedy
Varsity Blues also starred Jon Voight as the villainous Coach Bud Kilmer, alongside Ali Larter, Amy Smart, Scott Caan, Eliel Swinton, and Jesse Plemons.
With Van Der Beek’s death at 48 now joining the losses of Walker at 40 and Lester at 45 — and Pichler still missing after nearly two decades — fans can’t help but look back at the film through a different lens.