'Rust' producer says he's 'confident' the film will be completed after star Alec Baldwin fatally shoot the cinematographer on set
- "Rust" producer said he is "confident" his team will be able to complete filming the movie.
- Anjul Nigam said they plan to finish the movie after an investigation into the shooting is closed.
"Rust" producer Anjul Nigam told The Hollywood Reporter that he is "confident" he and co-producer Alec Baldwin will be able to complete the movie once the police investigation into an on-set shooting — that left the film's cinematographer dead — has closed.
"'Rust' is obviously a horrific tragedy," Nigam told THR. "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."
"We're confident we'll be able to complete the movie," Nigam continued, speaking of "Rust."
Filming for the movie paused after an on-set incident in which Alec Baldwin fired a gun while rehearsing a scene. The bullet killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza.
Insider reported back in April that New Mexico state regulators at the New Mexico Occupational Health and Safety Bureau hit "Rust" producers, who were filming the western in the state, with a maximum fine of $139,793 for safety failures that resulted in the death of Hutchins.
Hutchins' family filed a lawsuit against Baldwin, Nigam along with other producers and crew members that worked on "Rust." The suit alleges that reckless on-set behavior and cost-cutting led to the fatal shooting.
Last month, as Insider previously reported, the Santa Fe sheriff's office released two video clips that showed Baldwin in character, rehearsing a scene and drawing a gun moments before the deadly on-set shooting.
In the footage, Baldwin can be seen sitting in what appears to be a church pew with his hands in his lap. His head is down while he says some inaudible lines. The video then shows him slowly inch his hand to the inner pocket of his jacket before drawing his gun twice in practice.
While rehearsing that scene later that day, the gun — which was supposed to be loaded with blank rounds but actually contained a live bullet — went off.
Baldwin said previously that he didn't pull the trigger on the gun and that he was "exonerated" by the investigation so far.
Elsewhere during his interview with THR, Nigam said that he and Baldwin will be presenting a separate film project to potential buyers at the Cannes film festival later this month. The project, according to THR, will help to launch the pair's new production banner, Persona Entertainment.
The film, which is titled "False Awakening," is a psychological thriller. Nigam likened the projects to films such as "The Sixth Sense" and "Hereditary."
Baldwin is also set to star in the film.