Work to resume on Alec Baldwin's 'Rust' film after settlement in fatal shooting suit

Work will resume on Alec Baldwin's scandal-plagued "Rust" film after the family of the cinematographer who sustained a fatal gunshot wound on set settled its suit against the actor and the movie's producers.

Work on the film will resume in January of 2023, the Associated Press reported. Matthew Hutchins, the widower of slain cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, will take on an executive producer role, but Baldwin and the film's principal backers will remain with the project.

"We have reached a settlement, subject to court approval, for our wrongful death case against the producers of Rust including Alec Baldwin," Hutchins said Wednesday. "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 Baldwin or the producers]," Hutchins asserted. "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."

Halyna Hutchins died on Oct. 21, 2021, when Baldwin fatally shot her during filming in New Mexico. He also injured director Joel Souza. Baldwin previously denied having pulled the trigger of the gun during the incident, though an FBI report found that the revolver could not have fired without someone having done so.

The end of the wrongful death suit does not necessarily mean the end of Baldwin's legal woes, however, as Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies has secured funding to prosecute individuals involved in the filming of "Rust" but has not yet decided to press charges against anyone.

Carmack-Altwies, however, previously suggested Baldwin could face charges for his involvement in Halyna Hutchins' death. "One of the possible defendants is well known movie actor Alec Baldwin," she said.