Undecided but confident, Chris Hansen says he has 'a decent case' against A24's 'Primetime'

When Chris Hansen tried to attend a screening of A24’s thriller Primetime, he says he was turned away after refusing to sign a restrictive legal agreement. He also says he had no input on how Robert Pattinson portrays him in the film, a choice that’s fueled his public criticism of the project.

Why he isn’t suing

Hansen says he’s been told there’s money on the table if he takes legal action. According to him, a veteran entertainment lawyer in his orbit said he could make a solid case—but also warned him about the grind that would follow.

“You know, you can do that, and you probably have a decent case. How much time do you want to spend doing it? ”

For now, Hansen says the bigger calculation is avoiding turning his fight into free publicity for a movie he hasn’t even seen. He’s called the project “exploitative,” “sneaky,” and “disingenuous,” but adds that not having watched it himself complicates any definitive response.

Fiction vs. the show

In Primetime, Pattinson plays a darker, more driven version of the TV host whose hunger for ratings becomes part of the drama. Hansen pushes back on that framing, describing his real-life work on To Catch a Predator as investigative journalism aimed at exposing predators and protecting minors.

• Hansen says some of the character’s more aggressive lines in the film never happened in real life.
• He notes the actual stings were coordinated with law enforcement and legal teams, not the lone-wolf tactics the movie implies.
• He characterizes the film’s take as a stylized Hollywood interpretation rather than a faithful portrait.

Hansen says he’s keeping the door open to possible legal action—but he’s not rushing into court.