Chris Hansen Calls A24’s Film ‘Primetime’ an Insult with No Regrets About Controversial Sting

Robert Pattinson’s awards-season buzz has been steadily increasing since ‘Primetime‘ premiered at the Venice Film Festival, where it reportedly received a lengthy standing ovation and sparked immediate Oscar discussions for his transformative performance. Directed by Lance Oppenheim, the film dramatizes the rise of Chris Hansen’s ‘To Catch a Predator’ era, reimagining the true-crime broadcaster’s career as a psychological character study.

However, this dramatization has not been well-received by Hansen himself. Initially, he maintained a cautious distance from the project, stating he would reserve judgment until he viewed it. But as the trailer was released, his skepticism turned into open hostility as the film’s release date approached.

In his first interview since the Venice premiere, Hansen has escalated his criticism, labeling ‘Primetime’ an “insult” and expressing no regrets regarding the controversial sting operation that serves as the film’s dark climax. Speaking exclusively to The Hollywood Reporter from Chicago, where he was presenting at a conference for the National Center for Victims of Crime, Hansen shared his candid feelings about the film and the incident it portrays.

Hansen drew a stark comparison between the film industry and the very subjects his original series aimed to expose. He told THR that it’s unsurprising for a Hollywood studio to act in an exploitative or predatory manner, citing Harvey Weinstein as an example of the type of figure he believes the industry has long shielded.

He also voiced his frustration that filmmakers did not reach out to consult him directly, arguing that this omission reflects a lack of genuine interest in the true story, which he insists is dramatic enough on its own without embellishment. Hansen dismissed the film as a fictionalized account falsely associated with his name, contending that Oppenheim’s team sought something darker and more sensationalized than the actual events.

The film’s dark climax revolves around the 2006 death of Bill Conradt, a Texas prosecutor who died by suicide as police arrived at his home following an online sting operation linked to Hansen’s show. This incident drew widespread criticism at the time and ultimately led to the cancellation of ‘To Catch a Predator,’ along with a $105,000,000 lawsuit against NBC that was later settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.

Despite the surrounding controversy, Hansen told THR that the positive impact of his investigative work far outweighs the negatives associated with that case. He remains steadfast that his methods, although controversial, ultimately succeeded in identifying predators and protecting children.

Hansen’s discontent has not been limited to interviews. After refusing to sign paperwork required to attend a screening of the film, he purchased advertising space to run before every ‘Primetime’ screening for at least the first four weeks of its release, promoting his own true-crime streaming platform, TruBlu. TruBlu president Shawn Rech described the placement as an opportunity to connect with an audience already familiar with Hansen’s name and brand.

This level of public pushback sharply contrasts with the film’s critical reception thus far, with ‘Primetime’ currently boasting a strong 93% on Rotten Tomatoes following its Venice debut. The film is set for a wide theatrical release on September 25.

As awards season discussions swirl around Pattinson’s performance and Hansen continues to publicly denounce the project, the tension between the film and its real-life subject shows no signs of abating before release. Whether this controversy will ultimately boost or hinder the film’s box office performance remains to be seen once broader audiences have the chance to view it.

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