Primetime, A24's adaptation of Luke Dittrich's 2007 Esquire article "Tonight on Dateline This Man Will Die," opens in US theaters September 25. Robert Pattinson stars as Chris Hansen, the Dateline NBC correspondent behind To Catch a Predator, in the narrative feature debut of documentary filmmaker Lance Oppenheim.
The film premiered at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival on September 5 to a reported nine-minute standing ovation. Critics described the performance as among the most transformative of Pattinson's career. The film holds a 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes and 73 on Metacritic. The ensemble includes Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo, and Phoebe Bridgers in her first acting role; Jeff Zucker appears as himself.
The real Hansen has mounted an unusually public opposition. He declined to sign A24's standard NDA, which he says prevented him from screening the film. According to Variety, he has described Pattinson's portrayal as "overly dramatic" based on the trailer, and he has purchased counter-advertising ahead of the release. Pattinson, at the Venice press conference, was measured: "Obviously, I hope he likes the movie." Director Oppenheim said he was "excited for him to have a seat and watch the movie in a movie theater, if that's where he chooses to watch it."
Industry tracking puts the opening weekend between $10 and $22 million, a result that would rank among A24's strongest. Early awards conversation has reached Pattinson as a potential first-time Oscar nominee.
