Robert Pattinson was not originally planning to star in Primetime. Director Lance Oppenheim has now explained how the actor went from being attached as a producer to taking the lead as a fictionalized version of Chris Hansen.
Pattinson was initially a producer
Entertainment Weekly reports that Pattinson was initially involved behind the scenes rather than planning to act in the movie. Oppenheim wanted him for the central role and eventually arranged a late-night script meeting.
The late-night meeting changed the plan
Oppenheim and screenwriter Ajon Singh met with Pattinson and discussed the script late into the night. The conversation helped establish the movie’s deliberately strange tone and persuaded Pattinson to consider stepping in front of the camera.
Why the script became more surreal
Oppenheim and Singh subsequently reworked the screenplay to lean harder into a surreal, fever-dream quality. Oppenheim has cited filmmakers including Oliver Stone and Brian De Palma as influences on the film’s visual and tonal approach.
Why Pattinson plays Chris Hansen
Primetime is inspired by the television world surrounding To Catch a Predator, but Pattinson’s character is a fictionalized version of Hansen rather than a documentary recreation. The movie uses the 2006 media environment to explore the relationship between television, spectacle and true-crime entertainment.
When does Primetime come out?
A24 releases Primetime in U.S. theaters September 25, 2026. Lance Oppenheim directs, with Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo, Matthew Maher and Bokeem Woodbine also starring.
Sources
Entertainment Weekly and A24.
Author: Shivam Das
