Santa Fe, New Mexico - Actor Alec Baldwin has been charged with manslaughter over the deadly shooting on the set of western film Rust, according to a court document filed Friday.

The charge comes more than two years after cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died during filming of the low-budget movie in New Mexico when she was shot by a gun Baldwin was holding during rehearsals for a scene.

The 30 Rock actor was initially charged with manslaughter in January last year, but the charge was later dropped.

He reportedly faces up to 18 months in jail if convicted of the new charge.

"We look forward to our day in court," Baldwin's attorneys Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro said in a statement sent to AFP on Friday.

Baldwin, who was also a producer on the film, has repeatedly denied responsibility for the October 2021 shooting, insisting he did not pull the trigger on the gun, which in any case should have been loaded with a non-lethal blank.

Friday's development marks the latest attempt to hold someone to account for the deadly episode, which sent shockwaves through Hollywood and led to calls for a tightening of the rules around firearms on movie sets.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film's armorer – the person responsible for supplying and maintaining weapons – is set to go on trial next month on charges of involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence.

Prosecutors say that as the person who loaded the gun, she is culpable. She denies the charges.

Investigators discovered a number of other live rounds on the Bonanza Creek Ranch film set – a popular destination for film producers looking to recreate the 19th-century US frontier – in addition to the one that killed Hutchins.

There has been no explanation as to how they got there, but numerous stories have emerged about lax safety protocols, cost-cutting, and an atmosphere of discontent among some members of the crew.

Dave Halls, the film's safety coordinator and assistant director who handed Baldwin the loaded gun, agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors and was sentenced to six months' probation.