The first full trailer for Primetime has arrived, revealing Robert Pattinson in the role of journalist Chris Hansen in a dramatical take on the investigative television series that brought sting operations to a mainstream audience.
"You see how this looks, right?"
The teaser, which follows a shorter preview released in May, positions the film as a thriller inspired by the real-life work of Hansen — the Metro Detroit-raised reporter who became widely known for the NBC segment that confronted adults attempting to meet minors online. The original series, which aired between 2004 and 2007, made Hansen a recognisable face in the US and attracted intense public attention.
From documentary maker to scripted director
Lance Oppenheim, whose documentary work includes Some Kind of Heaven, directs Primetime, marking his first scripted feature. The move from documentary filmmaking into a dramatized retelling of a widely covered true-crime subject is a notable shift and sets the tone for the film’s approach — rooted in journalistic practice but told through a narrative lens.
Pattinson’s casting keeps him at the centre of a busy year: the actor follows recent roles in The Drama and The Odyssey, and has major projects lined up, including Dune: Part Three and Here Comes the Flood, both due later this year. He is joined in the cast by Skyler Gisondo, Merritt Wever and singer-actress Phoebe Bridgers, a line-up that blends established television and film performers with fresh faces from across entertainment.
Where the story sits in Hansen’s career
Hansen’s background — born in Chicago, raised in Birmingham and West Bloomfield Township in Metro Detroit, and an alumnus of Michigan State University — is part of the film’s context. Before hosting the sting segments that brought him national attention he worked at local stations WXYZ-TV (Channel 7) and WDIV-TV (Channel 4), later serving as an NBC News correspondent.
The subject has continued to attract media treatment: in 2025 a documentary titled Predators examined the original programme and its fallout. In more recent years Hansen, now in his mid-60s, has fronted Dangerous Games – A Chris Hansen Investigation on the streaming platform TruBlu, a service he helped to establish.
- Film title: Primetime
- Lead actor: Robert Pattinson as Chris Hansen
- Director: Lance Oppenheim (first scripted feature)
- Release date: 25 September
- Supporting cast: Skyler Gisondo, Merritt Wever, Phoebe Bridgers
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Original TV series run | 2004–2007 |
| Subject | Sting operations targeting adults seeking minors online |
| Recent related film | Predators (2025 documentary) |
With the trailer outlining a tense, dramatized perspective on a story many viewers will remember, the film is likely to reignite debate around televised sting operations and the ethics of confronting alleged offenders on camera. How the movie balances dramatic licence with the factual record of the original series and its participants will be a focal point for critics and audiences alike when Primetime opens later this autumn.
For Pattinson, the part adds another intriguing turn to a career that has recently moved between art-house projects and blockbuster tentpoles. For audiences familiar with the original programme, the film promises a revisitation of the controversies and notoriety that defined the early years of internet-era sting journalism.
Expect further publicity and debate as the release date approaches and more clips and interviews are made public. In the meantime, the full trailer gives a clear indication of tone: a high-profile actor inhabiting a figure who remains controversial and culturally resonant more than a decade after the original show ended.
