The long-awaited trailer for the Western film Rust was released Wednesday, marking a significant moment more than three years after the tragic on-set death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in October 2021.
Set against sweeping shots of vast, untamed landscapes, rustic storefronts, and intense shootouts, the trailer showcases the grim world of Rust. In a moment of reflection, a voice offscreen declares, “The only order that exists in this world is the order we impose.”
Alec Baldwin, who plays the infamous outlaw Harland Rust, is prominently featured in various scenes. In one shot, he sits by a campfire, dressed in a cowboy hat and worn overcoat, delivering the line, “Some things in this life you can’t get back, I reckon.” The trailer also introduces Patrick Scott McDermott as Lucas, Rust’s grandson, who is seen wielding a firearm.
The plot of Rust revolves around the 1880s in Kansas, where a recently orphaned Lucas McCalister (played by McDermott) accidentally kills a rancher and is sentenced to hang. In a dramatic twist, Lucas’s estranged grandfather, the notorious outlaw Harland Rust (Baldwin), rescues him from jail, and the pair embark on a perilous journey toward Mexico. As they flee through the unforgiving wilderness, they must evade U.S. Marshal Wood Helm (Josh Hopkins) and the ruthless bounty hunter known as “Preacher” (Travis Fimmel).
The trailer’s release comes more than three years after Baldwin was involved in a tragic shooting incident on the set of Rust. In October 2021, Baldwin, while practicing with a prop Colt .45 revolver, accidentally discharged a live round, killing Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza. In a 2021 interview, Baldwin expressed confusion over how a live bullet ended up on set and denied pulling the trigger of the weapon that killed Hutchins. An FBI forensic report later suggested the gun could not have fired without the trigger being pulled, though Baldwin’s defense team argued that the gun was faulty.
Production on the film was halted following the shooting, but resumed in April 2023, with Hutchins’ widower, Matthew Hutchins, taking over as executive producer. Baldwin and the film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez, were initially charged with involuntary manslaughter. While Gutierrez was found guilty, Baldwin’s charge was dropped. In January 2024, Baldwin was indicted again on involuntary manslaughter charges, only for the case to be dismissed in July.
Gutierrez, who was sentenced to 18 months in prison, later appealed her conviction. However, in September 2024, her request for a new trial was denied.
Directed by Joel Souza, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Baldwin, Rust will be released in theaters on May 2, 2025.
