Right after a phenomenal performance in The Odyssey, actor Robert Pattinson will now be stepping into one of American television’s most controversial roles. The first trailer for A24’s Primetime has finally arrived, giving a glimpse of the actor as journalist Chris Hansen, the face of NBC’s To Catch a Predator. The movie will showcase how quickly Chris was able to make a name for himself in 2006 since his determination to make a memorable TV show led him into the murky waters of journalism, entertainment, and morality.
The trailer breakdown
The trailer opens with split screen images of a house taken from various angles before turning to the hidden camera shot. A little girl allows a man into the house as he proceeds to enter the house hesitantly while someone watches him through a partially opened door. After a few moments, Chris appears. The nervous visitor asks, “Are you sure your parents aren’t home?”
Chris then delivers the line that made him famous, “I’m Chris Hansen, with Dateline NBC. And we’re doing a story on adults who try to meet teens online. You see how this looks, right?”
The trailer also provides a glimpse behind the scenes. In the film, Skyler Gisondo is cast as an actor auditioning to be one of the teen decoys in the show. His character starts doubting himself while Hansen becomes more certain about the show’s purpose. He tells the actor, “What you’re doing here is more than acting; you’re cleaning the world of an ancient evil.”
The trailer closes with a haunting close-up as Chris asks, “What would have happened if I wasn’t here?” Audiences are already impressed with Robert’s striking vocal transformation and his range to deliver such nuanced performance.
Who was Chris Hansen?
Chris Hansen is an American journalist famous for his role as the host of NBC’s To Catch a Predator series on Dateline NBC from 2004-2007. It was a special investigative series carried out under the backing of an Internet watchdog group known as Perverted-Justice. Adults who thought they were talking with underage children online would be invited to a trap house by actors playing teenagers. Upon their arrival, Chris would expose them on TV, after which they would be arrested by the police.
At the time, it was reported as one of the most successful shows for NBC, with an average of over seven million people watching it per night. While the show was enjoying immense popularity, there were still many who wondered if it really was of any public benefit as it bypassed proper police work or was just for entertainment value.
The tragedy that changed everything
The most controversial thing about To Catch a Predator occurred in 2006 during one of its stings that took place in Murphy, Texas. The operation was targeting an assistant district attorney from Texas, named Bill Conradt. When he did not show up at the decoy house, people from the production team along with police went to his house. Right after the SWAT team entered the premises, Bill died by suicide. Later, his family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against NBC, as the network ultimately settled it.
Even though there was never any official statement from NBC about the reasons for the programme’s cancellation in 2008, it was alleged that the Bill Conradt case became linked to its cancellation.
The 2025 documentary Predators, which features Chris himself, looks back at the programme’s cultural influence and how it inspired a wave of online vigilante content creators on YouTube and social media. Chris has also remained active over the years, launching his own YouTube channel and hosting Takedown With Chris Hansen on his streaming platform.
About Primetime
Written by newcomer Ajon Singh, Primetime is inspired by Luke Dittrich’s acclaimed 2007 Esquire article about the making of To Catch a Predator and the events that shaped its legacy. Alongside Robert Pattinson, the film features Merritt Wever, Matthew Maher, Bokeem Woodbine and musician Phoebe Bridgers, who makes her dramatic feature film acting debut.
Directed by acclaimed documentary filmmaker Lance Oppenheim in his feature film debut, Primetime will premiere in competition at the Venice International Film Festival before releasing in theatres on September 25.