Robert Pattinson stars in Primetime film about To Catch a Predator

Actor Robert Pattinson stars in the psychological thriller “Primetime,” directed by Lance Oppenheim, which dramatizes the production of the American reality series “To Catch a Predator.” The film explores the ecosystem of television production and the ethics of turning crime into entertainment.

Pattinson portrays real-life journalist Chris Hansen, who hosted the sting operations designed to expose child predators. Speaking at the BFI London Film Festival, Pattinson clarified that the film is “not an indictment” of Hansen as a person, but rather a portrait intended to capture the specific feeling and atmosphere of that era of television.

The film examines the motivations of the characters and the industry's pursuit of high-stakes, controversial content. It follows the rise of the show, which aired between 2004 and 2007, and the complex dynamics between the media, the subjects, and the pursuit of justice.