Time to resume filming, more than a year after the tragedy. The production of the film Rust has announced that filming will resume in the spring of 2023, according to the BBC. The film was on hiatus following the death of Halyna Hutchins in October 2021, following Alec Baldwin's accidental shooting with a pistol that was supposed to contain only blanks. The director, Joel Souza, was also injured. The star actor, who will also be back on the set, is facing criminal charges for manslaughter in the state of New Mexico, with an aggravating factor for the use of a firearm. He could therefore spend between eighteen months (for the manslaughter) and five years (the aggravating factor) in prison.
But staunch anti-gun activist Alec Baldwin has always denied pulling the trigger. The film's gunsmith, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, is also being sued.
Director Joel Souza, who returns behind the camera, paid tribute to Halyna Hutchins: "I am grateful that a brilliant and dedicated new production team joining the former cast and crew is committed to completing what Halyna and I started. All of my efforts on this film will be dedicated to honoring Halyna's legacy and making her proud. It is a privilege to see this on his behalf," he said in a statement.
Bianca Cline will take over from the deceased as director of photography. According to the production, she wanted to donate her salary to a charity in memory of Halyna Hutchins, with whom she was friends. The husband of the latter, Matthew Hutchins, becomes executive producer of the film and will receive, with his son, a part of the profits of Rust.
Rust Movie Productions also announced that a documentary is in the works to highlight the life and work of Halyna Hutchins, including the filming of Rust. Matthew Hutchins will again serve as executive producer, joined by Rachel Mason, director, and Julee Metz, producer. The two were close friends of the victim.
