Alec Baldwin's Rust to resume filming in New Mexico

Production on Rust is to resume in Bonanza City, New Mexico after reaching a settlement following Halyna Hutchins' death.

The family of Halyna Hutchins - a cinematographer shot and killed on the set of Rust in October 2021 - has reached a settlement with Baldwin and the film's producers; after the Hutchins family filed a wrongful death suit in February this year.

Production is scheduled to resume in January next year and will return to Bonanza City near Santa Fe in New Mexico.

“We have reached a settlement, subject to court approval, for our wrongful death case against the producers of Rust including Alec Baldwin,” Matthew Hutchins, widow of the cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, said in a statement Wednesday. “As part of that settlement, our case will be dismissed. The filming of Rust, which I will now executive produce, will resume with all the original principal players on board, in January 2023.”

Baldwin, who is also a producer on the film, was pointing a prop gun at Hutchins when it was fired which killed her and wounded the director, Joel Souza. The incident took place inside a small church during setup for filming a scene. The actor said the gun went off accidentally and that he did not pull the trigger. However, a recent FBI forensic report found the weapon could not not have fired unless the trigger was pulled.

“I have no interest in engaging in recriminations or attribution of blame (to the producers or Mr. Baldwin),” Matthew Hutchins, who was a plaintiff in the suit along with he and Halyna Hutchins’ 9-year-old son, said in a statement. “All of us believe Halyna’s death was a terrible accident. I am grateful that the producers and the entertainment community have come together to pay tribute to Halyna’s final work.”

Writing on Instagram Baldwin said, “We are pleased to announce today the settlement of the civil case filed on behalf of the family of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Throughout this difficult process everyone has maintained the specific desire to do what is best for Halyna’s son. We are grateful to everyone who contributed to the resolution of this tragic and painful situation.”