‘The Trial of Alec Baldwin’ Trailer: Actor Gives Documentary Crew Full Access to His Life in the Aftermath of Deadly ‘Rust’ Shooting

A trailer has been released for Oscar-nominated director Rory Kennedy’s long-awaited documentary, “The Trial of Alec Baldwin.” The film, which follows the actor after the accidental on-set shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in 2021, is set to be released in theaters across North America starting Oct. 16.

“On October 21, 2021, cinematographer Halyna Hutchins is killed on a movie set by a prop gun held by the actor Alec Baldwin. In the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, virtually no one doubts that it was an accident and a deeply traumatising experience for everyone involved,” reads the film’s official logline. “After the shock subsides, questions of responsibility, guilt, blame, punishment and justice begin circulating in the media, fuelled largely by Baldwin’s fame, as well as his reputation. Talented and adored, yet also flawed, politically outspoken, and prone to explosions of anger, the NYC-based Hollywood star becomes a lightning rod for online haters and a target for pushy paparazzi. With prosecutors weighing criminal charges, the events that unfold are driven less by the facts surrounding the case and more by who Alec Baldwin is — both as a man and as a public figure.”

Kennedy, who reached out to Baldwin about the project following the news, first began filming the actor in 2023. While initially hesitant, Baldwin agreed and provided the director with full access to his life throughout the process of the trial. (As previously reported by Variety, filming of the documentary began before Baldwin learned that Santa Fe County prosecutors dropped two counts of involuntary manslaughter against him and continued as he stood trial in July 2024.)

“This story is a tricky one because there is Halyna, who is the victim in this story and I, of course have enormous empathy for Halyna and her family given my own background and experience,” Kennedy told Variety ahead of the documentary’s premiere at the 2025 DOC NYC film festival. “But I think there should be room to see how there can be more than one victim. There can be a spectrum of victims in different situations, and it’s important to have space for that.”

“The Trial of Alec Baldwin” was produced by Kennedy, Mark Bailey and Julia Marchesi and executive produced by Jared Underwood, Andrew C. Robinson, Colin Marshall, Todd Thompson, Rita Powers, Tanner Cusumano, Rob Guillermo, Ray Maiello, Louis Krubich, Dan Fried, Randy Jones Toll and Steven Toll.

Watch the trailer for “The Trial of Alec Baldwin” below.