Trailer for A24 Film ‘Primetime' Stars Robert Pattinson as a Younger Chris Hansen

In the newest A24 trailer for Lance Oppenheim's Primetime,Robert Pattinson plays the host of To Catch a Predator at the start of the show's run. Pattinson takes on the role of Chris Hansen, complete with a new voice to match the host's ominous and iconic lines.

The trailer presents Pattinson as Hansen, set at the start of To Catch a Predator twenty years ago. It shows Pattinson and others setting up and carrying out the sting operations that made the show famous. Pattinson is overheard confronting adult men who come to the decoy house to meet minors. Hansen questions these men, knowing they will be arrested as soon as they leave, just like on the Dateline NBC show. "At the end of the day, a man must be held accountable for the decisions that he makes. Would you agree?"

Primetime's logline when first reported was: "a journalist who takes on an underworld of crime and changes television forever." The film's direction remains largely unknown, however. Primetime releases almost two years after David Osit's award-winning documentary, Predators. That film explored the questionable ethics of To Catch a Predator during its run on NBC. It is likely that Primetime will explore the fragile balance between making an entertaining hit show and stopping real crimes.

Besides Pattinson, the cast includes Skyler Gisondo, Bokeem Woodbine, and Merritt Wever. Phoebe Bridgers will also star in her debut acting performance. Bridgers previously appeared in another A24 film, I Saw The TV Glow, playing herself. This will be Oppenheim's first time directing a feature film. He has previously received critical acclaim for his documentary filmmaking on Ren Faire.

This is Pattinson's fourth film to be released this year. He also has roles in Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part Three and Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey. The Drama, another A24 film, premiered last month with Pattinson starring opposite Zendaya. Zendaya will join Pattinson in both Dune: Part Three and The Odyssey as well. Pattinson will return in The Batman Part II in 2027.

To Catch a Predator ran for four years as part of Dateline NBC, which focuses on true-crime content. The show was a hit for Hansen, but it was also mired in controversy and was eventually canceled. Since leaving NBC, Hansen has worked on many similar projects. His most recent is Dangerous Games: Investigating Roblox - A Chris Hansen Special on TruBlu. As of this article, Hansen has not commented on the A24 trailer.

Primetime premieres September 2026, with the exact date to be announced.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 27, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published May 27, 2026 at 9:35 AM.