Alec Baldwin’s Rust To Resume Filming Sooner Than Expected As Trial Looms
Alec Baldwin's Rust is resuming filming in Montana next month during the ongoing criminal trial.
Everyone has heard about the fatal shooting on the set of Alec Baldwin’s western film Rust, but over a year later, the story continues to develop with more twists and turns. In the latest development from The Hollywood Reporter, the film will resume production in just a few weeks, moving from New Mexico to Montana. Expected to finish principal shooting this Spring, work on the film starts back up while Baldwin’s criminal trial moves forward.
Alec Baldwin has been formally charged with involuntary manslaughter over the accidental shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. The star officially pleaded not guilty to the charge in court. The Prosecutor‘s original charges against Baldwin have been significantly downgraded, with a five-year prison sentence now off the table and replaced by a maximum of 18 months.
Just a few weeks ago, there was news that Rust will be the subject of a documentary about the deadly accident, Hutchins’s widow, Matthew Hutchins, has been added to the film as a producer with the completion of the movie part of a civil settlement between the studio and the family. As a result of the criminal charges, production has been moved to the Yellowstone Ranch in Montana.
Other movies filmed at the new location include Murder at Yellowstone City and a rare Nicolas Cage western, The Old Way. The Yellowstone Ranch founders shared a statement on welcoming the film to Montana: “We are honored to play a role in the realization of her vision and to carry forward her inspiring legacy through championing this film.”
Alec Baldwin, and the rest of the Rust crew are setting out to honor Halyna Hutchins‘ vision for the film, with director Joel Souza expressing gratitude for Yellowstone Ranch, saying, “Their unwavering friendship, support, and now partnership in completing Rust and honoring Halyna means the world to me and our entire production team.”
Part of the reason to relocate to Montana is that the state now offers a significant tax incentive for movies filmed there. Other states also offer incentives to attract productions, with the most successful currently being Georgia, home of The Walking Dead and the MCU. While Alec Baldwin and the rest of the Rust production have good intentions, it’s still a little ghoulish that business decisions weigh heavily on the film.
Alec Baldwin will still be expected to appear in court as the shooting trial goes underway, which will likely disrupt further filming of Rust. The set armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, also faces charges related to the accidental shooting. Gutierrez-Reed’s charges were also downgraded, with the most severe penalties taken off the table.
No matter how the finished product is, Alec Baldwin’s career is forever entwined with Rust, and even if found innocent of the charges, he’ll likely struggle to find work as easily as he did before. It’s good that Rust will be finished and Halyna Hutchins’ will be remembered in the documentary, providing a spotlight to the crew behind the camera that is almost always overlooked. As of now, neither the film nor the documentary have release dates, but it’s likely both will wait until the conclusion of the criminal trial.
