Alec Baldwin’s Rust Still Premiering Despite On-Set Death

On October 21, 2021, a tragic shooting occurred on the set of Rust when Alec Baldwin was handed a prop gun as part of an upcoming scene.

But that gun ended up discharging a live round of ammunition that struck cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and director Joel Souza. Hutchins died from the wounds, and Souza was injured. 

Apparently, Alec Baldwin was handed a Colt .45, which he was told was a “cold gun,” meaning there were no bullets. It also meant it was safe to use on the set. But the gun went off, striking Hutchins, who was airlifted to New Mexico Hospital in Alberquerque. She did not survive. 

In the ensuing months and years, the incident worked its way through the legal system. Rust’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was charged with involuntary manslaughter, as was Alec Baldwin for his role in the incident. Gutierrez-Reed was found guilty and ultimately sentenced to 18 months in prison. 

The charges against Alec Baldwin were initially dropped, though later refiled, and eventually dismissed right before the actual trial. His legal defense team argued about how law enforcement had handled the evidence in the wake of the shooting. 

From a legal standpoint, the Rust story is not over, with multiple lawsuits filed against Alec Baldwin and those involved with the movie’s production. One is by Hannah Hutchin’s family for wrongful death. 

Now, with Rust actually premiering on the big screen, it will be interesting to see how the film is received. Obviously, the tragic incident has had effects on the film industry beyond just what happened on set. More calls for safety with firearms, or even the removal of real guns on sets, have happened in earnest. 

At the Camerimage Film Festival, there will be a screening for Rust and following the movie a panel discussion will take place. As of this writing, and according to the reporting, Joel Souza, cinematographer Bianca Cline, and Stephen Lighthill will participate. The latter is said to be Hutchins’ mentor in the industry. It does not appear Alec Baldwin will be part of that group.

For the Rust panel, with or without Alec Baldwin, discussion about the tragic events on set will happen and they will detail how the crew was able to actually finish filming the movie in the wake of such a horrible incident. 

Alec Baldwin’s Rust is set in the 1880s and follows a boy (Patrick Scott McDermott), who after the death of his parents, is tasked with caring for his younger brother. Alec Baldwin plays Harland Rust, an outlaw, and grandfather to the boy. He is on the run from the authorities following an accidental killing. Travis Fimmel, Frances Fisher, and Jake Busey also have roles in the film.

Source: Deadline