Mike Pont/WireImage
Chris Hansen has bought ad space ahead of every 'Primetime' screening
Chris Hansen is having quite the reaction to Primetime, the upcoming film about his work on To Catch A Predator that stars Robert Pattinson in the lead role. Primetime will hit theaters September 25.
In the last month alone, former To Catch A Predator host Chris Hansen has questioned Hollywood’s motives in making the film, was turned away from a screening from the film after refusing to sign a reportedly standard NDA, and has now purchased ad space before EVERY screening of the film.
Chris Hansen has purchased ad space for his predator string streaming service TruBlu ahead of every Primetime screening
That isn’t hyperbole, either as THR has reported that Hansen has purchased preshow advertising on every screen showing the upcoming A24 film that will direct audiences to TruBlu, his streaming network devoted to the same kind of predator investigations featured in his former Dateline show.
The Hollywood Reporter got an exclusive look at the ad and reported that it includes the following:
“Hansen enters his familiar hunting ground, a kitchen, and delivers a variation on his dread-inducing catchphrase. ‘I’m going to need everyone in the theater to take a seat right over there,’ he says.”
“‘Now there are more platforms than ever before where this disturbing crime is being committed,’ Hansen continues. ‘Join us undercover every day on my streaming network, TruBlu.'”
Given the tone of the trailer and the way Pattinson seems to be portraying Hansen, it certainly seems as though Primetime will not be painting an entirely positive portrait of the former NBC man.
“Amazing way to admit that the film showing you as a clout chaser is a spot on adaptation,” one tweet reacting to the news read.
“Nice to of him to make the film’s point before people even see the movie,” a second joked.
I have a feeling this is only going to accentuate the content of the movie perfectly https://t.co/ZwJbXYzrjk
— JT (@Jtaylor0_3) August 26, 2026
a bold move to be like "yeah, this movie is 100% right about me only caring about my own fame and notoriety over all else" https://t.co/NpcSNJQax8
— Skylinex13 (@Skylinex13) August 26, 2026
we’re gonna get to see him act like a sociopath in the previews and movie 😭 https://t.co/P4ZvnIIJk9
— brandon* (@brndxix) August 26, 2026
Primetime is also based on the 2007 Esquire article “Tonight on Dateline This Man Will Die,” which reported on the deadly operation that effectively ended the series.
In November 2006, Dateline and its To Catch A Predator partners, Perverted Justice, were conducting a sting at a bait house in Murphy, Texas.
One of their potential targets, local assistant district attorney Bill Conradt, decided not to visit the bait house, so instead, a group of police, Hansen’s Dateline team, and their collaborators Peverted Justice went to Conradt’s home to arrest him. As SWAT breached the house, however, Conradt shot and killed himself.
In addition to Pattinson in what many expect to be an Oscar-nominated performance as Chris Hansen, Primetime also stars Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo, Phoebe Bridgers, Matthew Maher, and Bokeem Woodbine.
You can check out the official buzzworthy trailer — it has over 43 million views on YouTube compared to 23 million for Pattinson’s previous A24 movie The Drama, which grossed over $132 million at the box office — for the film below.