Rust Producer Plans To 'Complete The Movie,' Bringing New Film To Cannes Market

Six months after the shooting on the "Rust" set that claimed the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza, "Rust" producers Alec Baldwin and Anjul Nigam have announced that they will be bringing a new movie to the Cannes market under their Persona Entertainment production company. Hutchins passed away on October 21, 2021, after being accidentally shot by Baldwin on the set of "Rust." Since her passing, there have been a series of lawsuits and legislation surrounding the tragedy, including litigation from Hutchins' family, the film's script supervisor and armorer, and two separate bills aiming to regulate the use of firearms on film sets. 

The new film, titled "False Awakenings," will be written and directed by Ben Tomson and has already been financed by an equity partner. The film was described as a psychological thriller that tells the story of a man who suffers from intense sleepwalking episodes and the psychologist who attempts to help him. Both Baldwin and Nigam will act in the film on top of producing, although neither has confirmed who will be playing the lead role. Nigam described the film as being similar to "The Sixth Sense," "Hereditary," and "The Exorcist." According to The Hollywood Reporter, Nigam and Baldwin aren't overly concerned about the "Rust" shooting affecting their other upcoming projects, with Nigam saying:

"'Rust' is obviously a horrific tragedy ... 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."

Besides announcing "False Awakenings," Nigam also confirmed that the producers are looking to finish "Rust" after the Santa Fe County sheriff's department concludes its investigation. Baldwin stated in November 2021 that it was unlikely that "Rust" would ever be completed, saying "I sincerely doubt it," in response to questions about the production continuing. It's unclear what has changed since then, but "False Awakenings" and "Rust" aren't the only films the producers have been planning. They've also worked on the hijacked plane thriller "97 Minutes," which will be released by Vertical Entertainment in October 2022, and the storm-chasing action movie "Supercell," which will be released by Saban Films in November 2022.

Despite their previous collaborations, including "Rust," "False Awakenings" will be the first film under their production banner. Only time will tell if their reception at the Cannes market is positive, and only the Santa Fe County sheriff's department will tell what happens next in the aftermath of the "Rust" shooting.