‘Primetime’ Star Robert Pattinson Names the Movie That Defined the 2000s

Robert Pattinson is currently experiencing one of the busiest phases of his career. With projects like ‘The Odyssey’, ‘The Drama’, ‘Dune: Part Three’, and his latest A24 release, he has been described by one outlet as having all the motion in Hollywood. This busy schedule means he is also engaging in discussions about films that have influenced his perspective on cinema.

His latest film, ‘Primetime’, released by A24 on September 25, features Pattinson as Chris Hansen, the host of ‘To Catch a Predator’, set in 2006. Directed by Lance Oppenheim, the film employs heavy saturation, a boxy 4:3 aspect ratio, and grainy filters reminiscent of early 2000s tube televisions, making the decade feel like a character itself.

It’s no surprise that Pattinson has been reflecting on how that era was portrayed on screen. In comments shared via A24, he described early-2000s films as having “super bright, saturated colors and really glossy stuff,” noting that this aesthetic culminates with ‘Transformers’ before it began to fade.

This bold choice is backed by numbers that highlight its significance as a marker of the era. Michael Bay’s ‘Transformers’ premiered in the United States on July 3, 2007, featuring Shia LaBeouf as teenager Sam Witwicky, caught in the battle between the heroic Autobots and the evil Decepticons. The film also starred Megan Fox and was based on Hasbro’s toy line.

A24 x @Letterboxd present The List with Robert Pattinson & Lance Oppenheim. Primetime is now playing in theaters everywhere. pic.twitter.com/Zjczrrjghr

— A24 (@A24) October 1, 2026

While critics had mixed reviews, with some criticizing the focus on human characters over the robots, audiences were unfazed. The film grossed approximately $709.7 million worldwide against a $150 million budget, making it the fifth most successful release of 2007, and it received Academy Award nominations for Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects.

Moreover, it launched a franchise. ‘Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen’ earned $836.5 million in 2009, and ‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon’ grossed $1.124 billion in 2011. Over the years, the series has become a franchise valued at around $5.3 billion at the box office.

Pattinson’s remark about the decline of this style aligns with the franchise’s trajectory. After Bay’s departure, box office returns dwindled: ‘Bumblebee’ became the franchise’s lowest-grossing film since 2007, with $468 million worldwide, while ‘Transformers One’ made $128.9 million. Critics have warmed to some of these later films, but the era of glossy, over-the-top blockbusters that Bay defined is clearly coming to an end.

Pattinson’s comments resonated online, garnering over 539,000 views and thousands of likes, as fans debated whether another film better encapsulates the decade. This reaction indicates that the question of what defines a cinematic era remains a topic of lively discussion.

For Pattinson, this reflection ties back to his own work. A decade-defining aesthetic can serve as a valuable reference point for an actor portraying characters influenced by their time, which explains why ‘Primetime’ heavily embraces its 2000s texture. It will be intriguing to see which films he highlights next.

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