“To Catch a Predator” became a cultural phenomenon in mid-2000s reality-based TV shows. Investigative reporter and host Chris Hansen launched a series of sting operations against predators trying to meet teenagers for sex in online chatrooms. Many of the show’s episodes led to real-life convictions and provided law enforcement with ample evidence for attempted crimes.
However, Lance Oppenheim’s upcoming “Primetime” thriller exposes what went on behind-the-scenes with producers and the pressure to deliver entertainment, according to the first official trailer. Acclaimed actor Robert Pattinson plays Chris Hansen and pulls back the curtain on the Hollywood machine, examining the exploitation of victims of sexual abuse for primetime ratings. The A24-produced feature premieres in theaters on September 25, 2026.
Hansen breaks his silence and shares his thoughts about the film and previous plans to dramatize the hit TV show.
Hansen Unsure About Film’s Intent
Chris Hansen recently revealed that A24 producers approached him about being involved in developing “Primetime,” but conversations petered out. He plans on attending “a private screening in the next week or so,” he shared on a new episode of the podcast, “Serialously.” He added, “Then, I’ll be able to tell you whether I like it or don’t like it, and how dramatized it is.”
He believes the production used his name and the “To Catch a Predator” brand to boost the “commercial enterprise” at the box office. Admittedly, he has been too “busy being the real Chris Hansen, so I don’t have a lot of time to focus on the fake Chris Hansen,” he continued, questioning the decision to cast Pattinson in the role. “I know that he’s a very popular actor. I know that the director is a popular guy.”
But he has concerns over “Hollywood’s motive” behind the film, as he has seen the “very dramatic” trailer. Several years ago, Hansen crafted a script and had a very different actor in mind to play himself. “I thought Denis Leary would be a good guy to play me,” he said. Leary is best known as a ’90s stand-up comedian before undertaking major film roles in “Judgement Night,” “Demolition Man,” “Suicide Kings” and “The Thomas Crown Affair,” among many others.
Hansen Attempts to Revive ‘To Catch a Predator’ Popularity
“To Catch a Predator” ran for only 20 episodes from 2004 to 2007. The show was canceled in December 2007 when Rockwall County, Texas, assistant district attorney Bill Conradt died during a sting operation. Police attempted to serve him a search warrant when Conradt turned a gun on himself. His estate sued NBC for $105 million and settled out of court.
In the decades that followed, Chris Hansen has plotted several returns to high-profile fame with various iterations and spin-offs of the TV show. In 2015, he launched a GoFundMe campaign for an online spiritual successor and also expressed that he was in talks with several broadcasters about bringing the show back. He later signed on as host for syndicated TV news magazine “Crime Watch Daily,” during which he hosted “Hansen vs. Predator” segments.
Hansen established his own streaming service called TruBlu in 2022 and began hosting “Takedown with Chris Hansen.” The network continues posting episodes on its YouTube channel and is currently in Season 16.
