The company producing Alec Baldwin’s ill-fated Western Rust will continue filming this spring, while creating a documentary on the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, who was fatally shot in October 2021 during a Rust rehearsal on a film set at Bonanza Creek Ranch near Santa Fe.
The cinematographer’s husband, Matthew Hutchins, will serve as executive producer, public relations firm Mercury announced in a news release Tuesday.
A Mercury spokesman said preproduction work on the film resumed in January. He declined to comment on where the movie will be filmed and the specific dates when the work will take place.
However, Melina Spadone, an attorney for Rust Movie Productions LLC, told Variety magazine in October filming would not continue in New Mexico. California may be a possible location, she said.
Matthew Hutchins announced in October filming would resume for the Rust production after the Hutchins family settled a civil suit with actor and producer Baldwin, who was holding the prop revolver that discharged, killing Halyna Hutchins. Director Joel Souza, who will return to the production, was injured in the incident.
Safety officers Gary Jensen and Paul Jordan from Tenet Production Safety are set to join the production, the news release said.
Cinematographer Bianca Cline will “complete Halyna’s vision” for Rust, according to the news release, which states Cline will donate her salary from the production to a charity in honor of Hutchins.
The production will continue to use union crew members, the release stated, adding all working weapons “and any form of ammunition” will not be allowed on set.
Tuesday’s announcement came as criminal cases are moving forward against Baldwin and two other crew members in the First Judicial District Court in Santa Fe.
Baldwin and film set armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed — who was tasked with maintaining firearms, ammunition and gun safety on the set — were charged with involuntary manslaughter last month, while assistant director David Halls has agreed to plead guilty to a charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon.
Hearings for the three defendants are scheduled virtually Feb. 24.
Baldwin’s attorneys have filed motions seeking to have state Rep. Andrea Reeb, a former district attorney, disqualified as an appointed special prosecutor in the case. They also are challenging a five-year firearm sentencing enhancement in charging documents, saying it wasn’t added to state law until May 2022, seven months after the Rust shooting.
District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies filed a motion Monday asking for an extension until March 6 to respond to Baldwin’s request to disqualify Reeb because she will be prosecuting a murder trial until Feb. 21.
Heather Brewer, a spokeswoman for the District Attorney’s Office, said the motion will have no effect on the initial hearings.
