'Rust' producer 'confident' they will complete film after accidental death on set
A producer of "Rust" says the film will likely still be completed in the wake of last year's fatal shooting on set.
Anjul Nigam, a producer on the Western film along with actor Alec Baldwin, told The Hollywood Reporter they are expecting an investigation by the Santa Fe Country Sheriff's Department into the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins to conclude soon.
"'Rust' is obviously a horrific tragedy," Nigam told the Reporter. "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."
Once the investigation is over, they plan to finish making "Rust," he added.
"We’re confident we’ll be able to complete the movie," he said.
Nigam's comments come after New Mexico Environment Department’s Occupational Health and Safety Bureau recently released a summary of their investigation into the incident.
"Rust" production "demonstrated plain indifference to the hazards associated with firearms by routinely failing to practice their own safety protocols, failing to enforce adherence to safety protocols, and failing to ensure that the handling of deadly weapons was afforded the time and effort needed to keep the cast and crew safe," the report read.
Baldwin, who was also starring in the film in addition to producing it, is facing several lawsuits for allegedly accidentally shooting Hutchins last October with a prop gun that contained a suspected live round.
He has denied responsibility for the incident, claiming the lawsuits against him were motivated by money.
"I feel that someone is responsible for what happened, and I can’t say who that is, but I know it’s not me," he told ABC in December.