'Rust' Producer 'Confident' They Will 'Complete The Movie' With Alec Baldwin
By Kristin Myers on May 17, 2022 at 10:30 AM EDT
It seems that “Rust” producers are convinced that the show will go on.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, producers Alec Baldwin and Anjul Nigam are bringing a film to the Cannes market in an attempt to launch a new production company, Persona Entertainment.
In October 2021, approximately seven months ago, cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot and director Joel Souza was injured when a gun that the “30 Rock” actor was holding for a scene discharged. Baldwin has since insisted that he did not pull the trigger. The criminal investigation by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s office is still ongoing.
‘Rust’ Producers Want The Show To Go On Despite Halyna Hutchins’ Death
According to the outlet, Nigam said they have financed a film called "False Awakening," a psychological thriller from writer-director Ben Tomson.
“Rust is obviously a horrific tragedy,” Nigam said. “The investigation will hopefully be resolved soon and will unveil what happened. Obviously, there will be people out there who will have negative perspectives, but we’re confident about continuing to make quality movies.”
When the sheriff's investigation concludes, Nigam believes that producers can continue to finish the Western film. “We’re confident we’ll be able to complete the movie,” Nigam said.
It is reported that Baldwin will also be starring in "False Awakening," which Nigam compared to movies like "The Sixth Sense" and "Hereditary." The film reportedly tells the story of a psychologist that helps the main character navigate sleepwalking episodes that begin to interfere with his life.
“Alec loved the idea of the connection to The Exorcist,” Nigam said, hinting at potential supernatural elements in the film.
Producers are hopeful to announce the film's star, the character that suffers from the titular "false awakenings," during the Cannes film festival. Nigam, who has had a recurring role in ABC's "Grey's Anatomy," will also have an acting role in the film as well. Principal photography is anticipated to start this summer.
Producers Continue To Face Legal Battles Over Halyna Hutchins Death
Even though Baldwin and Nigam are hopeful about the success of their new film, their legal battles regarding the "Rust" shooting are not over yet.
In February, the Hutchins family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Baldwin, Nigam, and other movie producers, alleging that recklessness on set is what led to Hutchins' death.
Last month, a New Mexico safety agency concluded that the movie set at Bonanza Creek Ranch contained "willful and series" safety violations and slapped producers with a lawsuit amounting to $136,793 dollars, the highest amount allowable by law. Rust Movie Productions are challenging the citation, claiming that they were not responsible for supervising the film set and allegedly that gun safety training and meetings were held regularly, even on the morning of Hutchins' death.
In addition to "Rust," Baldwin and Nigam had previously collaborated on the movie "Super Cell," which will be released in November. They also collaborated on a thriller called "97 Minutes" in which Baldwin starred. That movie is expected to he released in October.
THR reported that Baldwin and Nigam have multiple television projects in development as well. Nigam expressed hope to work on those projects in Europe, saying, “Italy and France would be wonderful. Creatively, there’s such an amazing energy about having limited series based there.”
Nigam added that no other "Rust" producers are involved in the new project.
