The tragic death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the western Rust has been subject to intense investigation, and even harsher public scrutiny. That Alec Baldwin-starring film looked like it could have been scrapped after these horrific turn of events came to pass, which no one would have questioned given the circumstances. However, the production’s legal woes seem to be over for the moment, as a settlement has been reached and Rust can continue filming.
While a settlement was reported by Deadline, the exact terms are undisclosed. The little insight we do have into the result came from Halyna’s widower, Matthew Hutchins, who issued the following statement:
We have reached a settlement, subject to court approval, for our wrongful death case against the producers of Rust, including Alec Baldwin and Rust Movie Productions, LLC. 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. I have no interest in engaging in recriminations or attribution of blame (to the producers or Mr. Baldwin). 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.
The investigation into Rust’s shooting concluded this past August, with the results differing from Alec Baldwin’s account of not pulling the trigger. Though now, it looks as if the Match Game host is no longer the subject of inquiry, thanks to the shooting being deemed a “horrible accident.” As for what Baldwin himself had to say, he issued this statement on the Rust shooting through his personal Instagram:
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.
While Rust’s producers were optimistic about being able to complete their film, it was never a given. Everything from a rigorous investigation to a heavy fine issued against the production seemed to threaten the movie from ever being finished. Now, it looks like that optimism, while bittersweet, was the correct assumption after all.
The total legacy of Rust will be a subject of great interest to the public, as well as all involved in the film. Finishing and releasing the finished product is one thing, but the reaction of the public will be a whole other issue to behold. At the very least, the settlement between Alec Baldwin and the family of Halyna Hutchins feels like a good step towards the overall healing process.
As it stands, Rust will be back in production as of January 2023. No release date for the project has been specified, though it could be assumed it’ll find a spot on the 2023 release schedule.
