''Rust'' is an upcoming American

Western film The Western is a genre set in the American frontier and commonly associated with folk tales of the Western United States, particularly the Southwestern United States, as well as Northern Mexico and Western Canada. It is commonly referre ...

written and directed by

Joel Souza Joel Souza (born June 14, 1973) is an American filmmaker. Career Souza was originally inspired to become a filmmaker after viewing the Indiana Jones film ''Raiders of the Lost Ark'' (1981). As a writer and director, Souza made his debut in ...

. The film stars

Alec Baldwin Alexander Rae Baldwin III (born April 3, 1958) is an American actor, comedian, and producer. In his early career, Baldwin played both leading and supporting roles in a variety of films such as Tim Burton's '' Beetlejuice'' (1988), Mike Nich ...

(who also produces, and co-wrote the story with Souza), Travis Fimmel, Brady Noon,

Frances Fisher Frances Louise Fisher (born May 11, 1952) is a British-born American actress. She began her career in theatre and later starred as record executive Suzette 'Red' Saxon in the CBS daytime soap opera ''The Guiding Light'' (1985). In film, she is ...

, and

Jensen Ackles Jensen Ross Ackles (born March 1, 1978) is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Dean Winchester in The WB/ CW dark fantasy drama series ''Supernatural'' (2005–2020) and appearing in television series such as NBC's ''Days o ...

. In October 2021, production was temporarily suspended after a firearms shooting incident, in which cinematographer

Halyna Hutchins Halyna Anatoliivna Hutchins ( uk, Галина Анатоліївна Хатчінс; , uk, Андросович; April 10, 1979 – October 21, 2021) was a Ukrainian cinematographer. She worked on more than 30 feature-length films, short fil ...

was shot and killed when a gun being used as a prop was fired by Baldwin during the preparation for a scene; Souza was injured by the same projectile. Filming is set to resume in January 2023, more than a year after the incident and ongoing lawsuits.

Premise

In 1880s

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to ...

, aging outlaw Harland Rust comes out of hiding to rescue his thirteen-year-old grandson Lucas, who has been sentenced to hang for murder after an accidental shooting. Now fugitives, the pair have to outrun both Rust's nemesis, U.S. Marshal Wood Helm, and the vicious

bounty hunter A bounty hunter is a private agent working for bail bonds who captures fugitives or criminals for a commission or bounty. The occupation, officially known as bail enforcement agent, or fugitive recovery agent, has traditionally operated outs ...

Fenton "Preacher" Lang.

Cast

as Harland Rust * Travis Fimmel as Fenton "Preacher" Lang * Brady Noon as Lucas *

as Lucas' great aunt *

as U.S. Marshal Wood Helm * Devon Werkheiser

Production

Development

In May 2020, it was announced that

would produce and star in ''Rust'', a Western based on a story he created with writer and director

. Baldwin told ''

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly large ...

'' that he was elated to work with Souza after missing the opportunity to star in '' Crown Vic'' (2019). He compared the screenplay to the film ''

Unforgiven ''Unforgiven'' is a 1992 American Revisionist Western film starring, directed, and produced by Clint Eastwood, and written by David Webb Peoples. The film tells the story of William Munny, an aging outlaw and killer who takes on one more jo ...

'' (1992), and said it was inspired by a true story. When asked about his gun slinging and horse riding skills, he said: "They're always at the ready. I'm an actor of the old school. So if you read my resume – my motorcycle riding, my French, juggling, my horseback riding, my gunplay – is all right at my fingertips at all times." ''Rust'' was being produced on a $6–7 million budget and has been described as a "passion project" for Baldwin. The film's distribution rights were sold to The Avenue for $2 million during the pre-production phase. Travis Fimmel, Brady Noon, and

joined the cast in September 2021, with

being cast the following month. The production involved approximately 150 crew members, half of them local, 22 principal and 230 background actors from New Mexico. The production had a filming schedule of 21 days. Filming began in New Mexico on October 6, 2021. In October 2022, the Hutchins family settled the lawsuit. Filming is set to resume in January 2023 in

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the ...

, with Matthew Hutchins as an executive producer. Many of the film's crew gave mixed reactions towards the news, with some supporting it and planning on resuming their work on it, while others condemning the decision and deciding to not return.

Shooting incident

Spider bite incident

In November 2021, weeks after the shooting incident, lamp operator and pipe rigger Jason Miller was bitten in the arm by a

brown recluse spider The brown recluse (''Loxosceles reclusa''), Sicariidae (formerly placed in a family "Loxoscelidae") is a recluse spider with necrotic venom. Similar to those of other recluse spiders, their bites sometimes require medical attention. The brown ...

while closing the set. Miller suffered

necrosis Necrosis () is a form of cell injury which results in the premature death of cells in living tissue by autolysis. Necrosis is caused by factors external to the cell or tissue, such as infection, or trauma which result in the unregulated dig ...

and

sepsis Sepsis, formerly known as septicemia (septicaemia in British English) or blood poisoning, is a life-threatening condition that arises when the body's response to infection causes injury to its own tissues and organs. This initial stage is foll ...

. He was hospitalized and underwent multiple ultimately successful surgeries to avoid amputation of his arm.

Release

''Rust'' is scheduled to be released in the United States by The Avenue.

Notes

References

External links

* {{Portal bar, United States, Film, Kansas 2020s American films 2020s English-language films 2020s Western (genre) films American Western (genre) films Films about capital punishment Films about outlaws Film controversies Films shot in California Films set in Kansas Films set in the 1880s Films shot in New Mexico Upcoming films