What Is 'Primetime' About? Robert Pattinson's Chris Hansen Movie, Cast & Release Date | Just Jared
MoviesHub
Primetime is a highly anticipated upcoming crime thriller starring Robert Pattinson as To Catch a Predator host Chris Hansen. The film is directed by Lance Oppenheim and marks his narrative feature directorial debut.
The story is based on Esquire‘s article “Tonight on Dateline This Man Will Die” by Luke Dittrich, which recounts the suicide of Bill Conradt linked to the Dateline show and the relationship between the media, a civilian, and the police.
Primetime will hit theaters on September 25, 2026, but it debuted at the 2026 Venice Film Festival on September 5. Keep reading to learn more about the movie!
What is Primetime about?
The synopsis for the A24 release is short and to the point, “In 2006, To Catch a Predator host Chris Hansen sets out to make television history.”
Oppenheim also shared a statement for Venice, sharing his intent in making the film. He shared how he grew up watching the early 2000s reality television and noted few shows have “kept their hold on the culture at large” in the same way Dateline’s To Catch a Predator did.
“Its host, Chris Hansen, pioneered a spectacle of punishment – the moment moral outrage became must-see TV,” the filmmaker said.
He continued, “With Primetime, I set out to make an institutional portrait of To Catch a Predator at the height of its success. How did the show change as it grew more popular? What did working on it do to the people inside it – the performers, the producers? I wanted to trace the disparate ambitions of people who existed inside this apparatus – a journalistic crusader, a mercenary TV producer and a wide-eyed Hollywood dreamer – converging into a moment of crisis.”
Who does Robert Pattinson play, and how does it connect to real events?
Robert is playing Hansen in the movie, though he admitted he didn’t initially plan on playing the character, but he told AP News at the Venice Film Festival that it eventually became “irresistible.”
Hansen has been publicly critical of Robert‘s casting. Here’s what The Odyssey star has said in response to his criticism.
The movie is based on an Esquire article about the 2006 sting operation that resulted in the suicide of assistant district attorney Bill Conradt. Hansen was not part of the film’s production.
RELATED: Robert Pattinson gets support from fiancée Suki Waterhouse at Primetime premiere at Venice Film Festival!
Who else is in Primetime?
Primetime notably marks the acting debut of singer Phoebe Bridgers. She told AP News she found it “super intimidating” and was initially against doing it when Oppenheim approached her.
The cast also includes Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo, Matthew Maher, Anna Faris, and Bokeem Woodbine.
When and where can you watch Primetime?
While Primetime premiered at the Venice Film Festival in early September, it won’t be released theatrically until September 25.
No streaming date or platform has been shared yet, but A24 movies usually go to HBO Max since they have an exclusive streaming rights deal.
Posted To:Chris Hansen Movies Primetime Robert Pattinson
＼ Get the latest news ／
