Robert Pattinson brought Primetime to the BFI London Film Festival on October 11 for its UK premiere, appearing at BFI IMAX before a capacity crowd. The A24 psychological thriller has earned him some of the strongest notices of his career, with an 86% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 239 reviews.
The timing was pointed. In the days before the London screening, the film's subject had gone public. Chris Hansen, the former To Catch a Predator host whom Pattinson portrays in a fictionalized version, told The Hollywood Reporter the film was "a complete work of fiction attached to a real name" and described it as "detached from reality" and "twisted, dark, [and] dishonest." Hansen said the filmmakers did not consult him during production. He also said A24 had asked him to sign a non-disclosure agreement, which he refused.
Pattinson's response, given to Entertainment Weekly at the festival, was brief. "He is cool," he said. "I was trying to make him cool." He added that young audiences at screenings arrive dressed as Hansen and do impressions before seeking out his actual work.
Primetime is Lance Oppenheim's narrative feature debut, written by Ajon Singh and based on Luke Dittrich's 2007 Esquire article "Tonight on Dateline This Man Will Die." It was shot on 16mm film and digitized using twelve different camera formats. The film had its world premiere at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival on September 5. It grossed $19.2 million in its US opening weekend, A24's third-best on record, and has reached approximately $45.5 million worldwide. The UK theatrical release opens on October 30.
The supporting cast includes Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo, Anna Faris, and Bokeem Woodbine. Phoebe Bridgers appears in her first acting role.
