A24 has released the full trailer for Primetime, offering a closer look at Robert Pattinson’s transformation into television journalist Chris Hansen in a dramatization of the rise of NBC’s ‘To Catch a Predator.’ Directed by acclaimed documentarian Lance Oppenheim in his narrative feature debut and written by Ajon Singh, the film revisits the mid-2000s phenomenon that turned Hansen’s undercover sting operations into one of television’s biggest cultural talking points.
Set in 2006, Primetime follows Hansen as he pursues what he believes will be a groundbreaking television event while examining the growing intersection of journalism, entertainment and public spectacle. The trailer showcases Pattinson adopting Hansen’s distinctive cadence while recreating several of the host’s memorable on-camera confrontations with suspected online predators. Merritt Wever co-stars as Hansen’s producer, with Skyler Gisondo, Phoebe Bridgers, Matthew Maher and Bokeem Woodbine rounding out the ensemble cast.
The film draws inspiration from Luke Dittrich’s 2007 Esquire article, “Tonight on Dateline This Man Will Die,” which examined the controversial aftermath of the To Catch a Predator investigations. That history includes the widely scrutinized 2006 death of Texas prosecutor Bill Conradt during a law enforcement operation tied to the program, an incident that intensified criticism over the blurred lines between journalism, law enforcement and reality television.
Primetime will premiere in competition at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival before opening in theaters Sept. 25. See the trailer for Primetime – HERE.
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