Robert Pattinson's New A24 Thriller Based On Real-Life Reality Series Gets Official Release Date

Growing up around performers, storytelling was always central to Emma's life. Add in a nerdy older brother who introduced her to Marvel at far too young an age, and her love for entertainment led her to pursue a Journalism degree at Indiana University, where she discovered her passion for entertainment reporting. She spent nearly one year in Los Angeles covering industry stories and fully immersing herself in the world of entertainment media.

Robert Pattinson's upcoming A24 thriller Primetime is officially going live this fall.

Directed by documentary filmmaker Lance Oppenheim, the upcoming movie takes inspiration from NBC's To Catch a Predator and its host, Chris Hansen. The controversial reality series followed Hansen, law enforcement officials, and actors posing as underage people online as they worked to confront adults suspected of attempting to meet minors. Pattinson will portray Hansen during the program's rise in 2006 while also serving as a producer on the movie.

According to Deadline, Primetime will open in theaters nationwide on September 25, 2026. The release date was announced after the movie earned a spot in the main competition lineup at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival. According to the festival’s official listing, the thriller has a runtime of 107 minutes.

Primetime follows Hansen as he sets out to make history on television through the investigations that transformed To Catch a Predator into such a cultural phenomenon. The program became known for its hidden-camera confrontations, in which Hansen questioned suspected predators before law enforcement officers intervened. However, the controversy came from its collaboration with the police and the watchdog organization Perverted Justice.

The movie's teaser trailer offers the first look at Pattinson recreating Hansen’s recognizable appearance, mannerisms, and interviewing style. In 2025, director David Osit directed the documentary Predators, which featured interviews with Hansen and other decoys on their involvement.

The film marks Oppenheim's narrative feature directorial debut following his work in documentaries. He previously directed 2020's Some Kind of Heaven, which dissected a sprawling Florida retirement community, and HBO's Ren Faire, a docuseries many believe is the "real-life version of Succession."

Ajon Singh, also attached to Spider-Punk, wrote the screenplay, while Pattinson produced alongside Brighton McCloskey through Pattinson's company Icki Eneo Arlo. Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Fred Berger, Lars Knudsen, and Tyler Campellone also serve as producers. The supporting ensemble includes Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo, Phoebe Bridgers, Matthew Maher, Bokeem Woodbine, Sean Bridgers, and Anna Faris. The film marks Bridgers’ acting debut, although she previously appeared as herself in I Saw the TV Glow.

It's no surprise for Pattinson to be in yet another A24 project, as Primetime marks his sixth movie with the company. Other movies include The Rover, Good Time, High Life, The Lighthouse, and The Drama, starring alongside Zendaya. Several of those projects helped establish his post-Twilight career, making his transformation into one of reality television's most recognizable people a continuation of his work with the studio.

The September release places Primetime alongside other major movies, including Brad Pitt’s Heart of the Beast, DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island, Victorian Psycho, Crawlers, and Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Endgame Encore. However, its selection for Venice’s main competition could help distinguish Pattinson’s thriller before it arrives nationwide on September 25.