Robert Pattinson is headlining the new feature film Primetime, which dramatizes NBC Dateline’s controversial “To Catch a Predator” sting operation and the fallout that led to the show’s cancellation. The movie, described by director Lance Oppenheim as a dark meditation on performance, media and morality, opens in theaters Friday.
Background of the original series
“To Catch a Predator” debuted in 2004 and, with the help of the citizen‑watchdog group Perverted Justice, staged confrontations with men who were allegedly soliciting sex with minors in online chat rooms. Actors played the teens while police waited outside to make arrests. At its peak in 2006 the program drew about 7 million viewers per episode, turning host Chris Hansen into a pop‑culture figure.
The series faced a major crisis in November 2006 when Texas assistant district attorney Louis William “Bill” Conradt Jr. killed himself as police and the television crew attempted to serve a warrant at his home. The incident sparked lawsuits, investigations by ABC’s “20/20” and Esquire, and ultimately led to the show’s cancellation in 2008.
From script to screen
The film’s script was inspired by Esquire reporter Luke Dittrich’s article “Tonight on Dateline This Man Will Die,” which also informed Ajon Singh’s screenplay. Pattinson, who initially became involved through his production company, helped shape the story and the titular character, a fictionalized version of Hansen.
“When you reach a certain level of viewers and money, the subject matter stops mattering and you become a hit show,” Pattinson told the Associated Press. He added that the project allowed him to explore the tension between journalism and entertainment.
Cast and portrayals
In addition to Pattinson, the film features Merritt Wever as a fictional producer under pressure to deliver ratings‑driven content, and Skyler Gisondo as “Decoy Dan,” an amalgam of the adult actors who played teenagers in the original sting houses. Jeff Zucker, former NBCUniversal TV Group CEO, appears as himself.
Chris Hansen has publicly criticized the film, calling the Esquire story a “hit piece” and purchasing pre‑show advertising for his true‑crime streaming service TruBlu to run before screenings. Pattinson acknowledged Hansen’s right to comment, noting that Hansen is a public figure.
Reception and release
“Primetime” has generated buzz at the Venice Film Festival and is slated for a U.K. release on October 30, with a wider U.S. rollout beginning Friday. The film arrives amid a strong year for Pattinson, who also appears in the upcoming “The Odyssey,” a blockbuster “Dune: Part Three,” and continues work on the “Batman” sequel.
Despite the controversy, Pattinson remains confident that audiences will respond, saying, “My baseline is very low so everything’s a nice surprise.”
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
