# Robert Pattinson to play journalist Chris Hansen in A24’s Primetime 2026-08-08T21:44:10+00:00 | Entertainment | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Robert Pattinson will play American journalist Chris Hansen in A24's upcoming crime thriller 'Primetime', directed by Lance Oppenheim. The film is inspired by Hansen's work on the Dateline NBC series 'To Catch a Predator', which ran sting operations targeting adults who communicated online with people they believed were underage. Hansen joined Dateline in 1993 and became a household name through the controversial investigations, which raised questions about the ethics of televised stings and the role of law enforcement. The film, set in 2006 when Hansen was at the peak of his fame, is based on Luke Dittrich's 2007 Esquire article 'Tonight on Dateline This Man Will Die'. It follows the journalist and the pressures behind making the television phenomenon. The cast includes Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo, Phoebe Bridgers, Matthew Maher, and Bokeem Woodbine. The film is scheduled for a theatrical release on September 25, 2026, after its planned premiere at the Venice Film Festival. ## Coverage - livemint.com Tags: A24, Chris Hansen, Primetime, Robert Pattinson, To Catch a Predator, true crime Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/robert-pattinson-to-play-journalist-chris-hansen-in-a24s-primetime/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/robert-pattinson-to-play-journalist-chris-hansen-in-a24s-primetime/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.