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Producers reboot filming on Alec Baldwin movie Rust

Filming on the Western movie Rust is set to resume in Montana, the production company says, in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of a cinematographer during a rehearsal with actor Alec Baldwin on the original production in New Mexico.

Rust Move Productions lawyer Melina Spadone said via a representative that filming would restart on Thursday (local time) at the Yellowstone Film Ranch.

Baldwin will remain involved as an actor and co-producer.

The production company finalised a settlement last month with New Mexico workplace safety regulars over “serious” violations, agreeing to a $US100,000 ($148,945) fine to resolve a scathing safety review that detailed unheeded complaints and misfires on set before cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed in October 2021.

Plans to resume filming were outlined last year by widower Matthew Hutchins in a proposed settlement to a wrongful death lawsuit that would make him an executive producer on a rebooted Rust.

Prosecutors in Santa Fe are pressing forward with involuntary manslaughter charges against actor Baldwin and weapons supervisor Hannah Gutierrez-Reed.

Baldwin and Ms Gutierrez-Reed have pleaded not guilty.

Baldwin was pointing a pistol at Hutchins during a rehearsal when the gun when off, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.

Baldwin has said the gun went off accidentally and that he did not pull the trigger.

An FBI forensic report found the weapon could not have fired unless the trigger was pulled.

Earlier in April, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a $US360,000 ($536,202) allowance for prosecution of the case.

Evidentiary hearings are scheduled for early May in state District Court to decide whether to proceed toward trial.

Baldwin has indicated he won’t attend those hearings.

Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies said her office was pursuing justice in the death of Hutchins and wanted to show that no one was above the law when it came to firearms and public safety.

She said the Ukrainian-born cinematographer’s death was tragic and preventable.

Rust safety co-ordinator and assistant director David Halls pleaded no contest in March to a conviction for unsafe handling of a firearm and a suspended sentence of six months of probation.

Souza, the director, has said he’ll return to the Rust production to honour Hutchins’ legacy.

Parts of a documentary about Hutchins’ life will be filmed simultaneously with Rust.

Topics: Alec Baldwin
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