The former “To Catch a Predator” host has expressed skepticism about the film and named the actor he would have preferred to portray him.

Robert Pattinson responds to Chris Hansen’s Primetime casting criticism

The former “To Catch a Predator” host has expressed skepticism about the film and named the actor he would have preferred to portray him.

By Shania Russell

Shania Russell

Shania Russell is a news writer at *, *with five years of experience. Her work has previously appeared in SlashFilm and Paste Magazine.

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September 7, 2026 10:39 a.m. ET

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Robert Pattinson as Chris Hansen in ‘Primetime’. Credit:

- Chris Hansen’s concerns about *Primetime* have made their way back to star Robert Pattinson.

- The actor, who portrays the former *To Catch a Predator *host, recently addressed Hansen’s criticism during a press conference following the film’s Venice Film Festival premiere.

- ”Obviously, I hope he likes the movie,” Pattinson said of Hansen, who has indicated that he is considering taking legal action against the film.

Despite Chris Hansen’s frustrations with *Primetime*, star Robert Pattinson is still hoping that he takes the production as a “compliment” to his career.

The *Odyssey* star stepped out at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday for the premiere of the dark thriller, which sees him portray the former* To Catch a Predator h*ost during the rise of the popular *Dateline* segment. During a press conference for the Lance Oppenheim-directed film, Pattinson addressed the criticism Hansen has voiced in the lead-up to *Primetime*‘s release, sharing that he hopes the journalist will check the film out once it arrives in theaters

“Obviously, I hope he likes the movie,” Pattinson said in footage captured by *Entertainment Weekl*y’s sister site, PEOPLE. “You know, I never really set out to make a movie about Chris Hansen, I never really thought about it. And then I read the script and there’s something electrifying about it.”

Pattinson added, “I would hope in some ways, the amount of inspiration that his character has given so many people who are involved in this film for years now, I hope it’s some kind of compliment.”

Robert Pattinson in ‘Primetime’; Chris Hansen in 2017.

A24; Brad Barket/Getty

The *Twilight* alum went on to praise Hansen’s pivotal role on the wildly popular program, which exposed alleged pedophiles by using hidden cameras to capture adults trying to meet underage teens in online chat rooms. After luring suspects to a sting house, Hansen would emerge from the shadows with a camera crew for a candid confrontation, speaking infamous lines such as “Why don’t you have a seat right over there?” and “What were you hoping to do here tonight?”

Pattinson noted that if not for Hansen’s powerful screen presence, the show would not have succeeded as it did — nor would it have inspired Oppenheim’s film.

“The more you watch the show, there’s something magnetic about his presence,” the actor said. “I watched the show when I was younger and I didn’t even think about it. And when you obsessively watch it, you realize there’s a strange alchemy with what’s going on: the aesthetics of the show, and how it was directed, and how things are put together, and the time period.”

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He continued, “But something [Hansen]’s doing is the reason why people are still talking about that show 20 years later. And it’s not to do, necessarily, with the subject matter.”

Though Hansen has yet to see the film, he has repeatedly voiced frustration over his name being used in the dramatized retelling of events. He has additionally complained that he was not consulted on the movie and expressed skepticism over Hollywood’s “intentions” in making the film.

Robert Pattinson as Chris Hansen in ‘Primetime’.

During a visit to Annie Elise‘s *Serialously* podcast last month, Hansen revealed that he once anticipated — and worked on — a film about his career and even had an actor picked out to star in it.

“I had discussions years ago about — I had crafted a script, and I thought Denis Leary would be a good guy to play me, depending on the age of it all,” he shared.

As for Pattinson’s performance, Hansen (who has only seen glimpses in trailers and marketing for *Primetime*), called it a “pretty good imitation” though noted that it comes off as “overly dramatic.”

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That said, Hansen’s skepticism about *Primetime* has not kept him from utilizing the attention: the journalist has purchased ads for his true-crime network, TruBlu, which will play before screenings of the film and in theater lobbies.

In addition to Pattinson, *Primetime* stars Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo, Phoebe Bridgers, Matthew Maher, Bokeem Woodbine, and Anna Faris. The film hits theaters on Sept. 25.

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