Rust Trailer Reveals First Footage of the Western Film Starring Alec Baldwin That Had a Fatal On-Set Shooting

The first official trailer for *Rust*, the Western film starring Alec Baldwin, has officially been released, offering audiences a glimpse into the long-awaited movie. Set for theatrical release on May 2, 2025, the film tells a gripping tale rooted in the rugged frontier of 1880s Kansas.

Plot Summary

*Rust* follows young Lucas McCalister (played by Patrick Scott McDermott), an orphan whose life takes a dramatic turn after he accidentally kills a rancher and is sentenced to hang. Fate intervenes when his estranged grandfather, Harland Rust (Alec Baldwin)—a feared and wanted outlaw—breaks him out of jail and flees south toward Mexico. As the pair traverse the brutal wilderness, they must evade relentless pursuit from U.S. Marshal Wood Helm (Josh Hopkins) and the merciless bounty hunter known only as "Preacher" (Travis Fimmel).

As previously reported, the production of *Rust* was tragically marked by a fatal accident on October 22, 2021, during rehearsal on set. Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot and director Joel Souza injured when a prop gun fired by Alec Baldwin discharged unexpectedly. At the time, Baldwin was demonstrating how he would draw the weapon from its holster, with the camera positioned where Hutchins and Souza were standing.

The firearm involved was believed to be a “cold gun” containing no live ammunition—a belief that proved tragically incorrect. In the aftermath, legal proceedings unfolded over several years. In April 2023, charges against Baldwin were dismissed, while armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, responsible for preparing the weapon, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to 18 months in prison. Additionally, first assistant director David Halls, who had oversight of confirming the gun’s safety, pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon and received six months of probation.

Film Premiere and Memorial Tribute

According to Variety, *Rust* made its premiere at the Camerimage Film Festival in Poland in November 2024. The screening included a heartfelt tribute to Halyna Hutchins during the end credits. Baldwin did not attend the event, but director Joel Souza was present and delivered a moving speech in honor of his late colleague.

“We are here in a place that she loved so much, probably second only to being on set,” Souza said of Hutchins. “I want to thank you all for coming and for taking a few hours out of your day to come celebrate my friend and to celebrate her art and her talent. She really was something.”