The trailer for “Rust” has been released.
The feature, the production of which was forever marked by the tragic death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins after a prop gun fired, has unveiled its first footage with lead star Alec Baldwin. Director Joel Souza was also injured in the accident. The official synopsis reads: “Set in 1880s Kansas, the film follows orphan Lucas McCalister (Patrick Scott McDermott), who “accidentally kills a rancher and is sentenced to hang,” according to its plot description. “In a twist of fate, his estranged grandfather, the notorious outlaw Harland Rust (Baldwin), breaks him out of jail and takes him on the run toward Mexico. As they flee across the unforgiving wilderness, the fugitive pair must outrun the determined U.S. Marshal Wood Helm (Josh Hopkins) and a ruthless bounty hunter named Preacher (Travis Fimmel).”
The October 21, 2021 accident involved actor/producer Baldwin, who was holding the gun during a rehearsal that discharged a live round, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza. Baldwin stood trial for an involuntary manslaughter charge over Hutchins’ death, but the case was dismissed. Armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed is serving an 18-month sentence for Hutchins’ death as she had loaded a live round into the prop gun.
“Rust” premiered at the EnergaCamerImage film festival in November 2024. Baldwin said at the festival that he does not want to see the final cut of “Rust.”
“I haven’t seen the film,” Baldwin told Variety. “Only because this is obviously the most difficult thing I’ve ever dealt with in my life. Beyond the victims themselves, the thing that most pains me is what it did to my wife. My wife has been very, very traumatized from this. There has been a lot of pain. When you are married to somebody and everything was going fairly well and we had seven kids … and the floor falls out. It’s very frightening and very disturbing. And we are trying to get the wind in our sails, to get away from this stuff. Because the film doesn’t stand by itself. It’s always going to be overshadowed by this.”
As part of a settlement in a civil suit with Halyna’s widow Matt Hutchins, Baldwin and director Souza agreed to finish the film with Halyna’s husband as an executive producer. Any of the proceeds from the film’s sale will be donated to a fund for Halyna’s son. Bianca Cline took over cinematography duties to complete the feature.
“I hope the movie is sold, and that he gets his money,” Baldwin said. “We all made a deal with him and we all want to follow through. But this idea that people — who shall remain nameless — say, ‘You are profiting from this!’ That is absolutely wrong.”
“Rust” will be released in theaters and on digital May 2. Check out the trailer below.
