Veteran journalist Chris Hansen walked away from a private screening of A24’s upcoming film Primetime after refusing to sign a restrictive legal agreement. The 2026 drama, starring Robert Pattinson as Hansen during his 2006 To Catch a Predator era, opens in theaters on September 25 following its Venice Film Festival premiere.
Instead, he left the building without watching a single minute of the film.
The 66-year-old journalist detailed the aborted viewing on Fox News’ Jesse Watters Primetime, explaining that studio legal representatives handed him a document that went far beyond typical preview paperwork. According to Hansen, his attorneys had already reviewed the paperwork and advised against putting his signature to it.
What Was in the Dispute Over the Screening Agreement?
The standoff centers on sharply differing accounts of what the paperwork actually demanded. Hansen maintained that the studio’s legal counsel wanted him to sign away his rights to his name, image, and brand, alongside any potential legal claims arising from the motion picture. He asserted that he had never encountered anything comparable during a four-decade investigative career.
The lawyers at A24 wanted me to sign away my rights to my name, image and brand essentially, as well as any potential legal rights that would come out of the movie,
Studio representatives countered that characterization. A source close to A24 told trade media that Hansen was simply asked to sign a standard non-disclosure agreement required of all preview audiences to prevent spoilers and protect intellectual property. The source noted that such precautions are standard procedure for unreleased films and would not strip an individual of personal brand rights.
The friction marks an abrupt shift from days prior, when Hansen had spoken positively on the Serialously With Annie Elise podcast about an impending private viewing where he planned to evaluate how dramatized the project was. While marketing materials label the movie as inspired by true events rather than a strict biopic, Hansen noted that other individuals had reportedly seen the film without being asked to sign the restrictive terms he encountered.
Inside the 2006 Era Revisited by A24’s Feature
Directed by Lance Oppenheim in his narrative feature debut and written by Ajon Singh, Primetime chronicles the 2006 apex of To Catch a Predator. The hidden-camera franchise, which ran from 2004 to 2007 as a recurring Dateline NBC segment, paired Hansen and camera crews with online decoys posing as minors to confront adult men at sting houses.
The original television broadcast commanded massive audiences but also courted intense controversy. The franchise came to an abrupt end following a 2006 Texas sting operation in which Rockwall County assistant district attorney Louis Conradt died by suicide as authorities and the television crew closed in on his home. NBC ultimately settled a $105 million lawsuit out of court stemming from the incident.
In the A24 production, Robert Pattinson stars as Hansen and produces through his Icki Eneo Arlo banner. The supporting cast features Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo, Phoebe Bridgers, Matthew Maher, Bokeem Woodbine, and Anna Faris, with former NBCUniversal chief Jeff Zucker appearing as himself.
Motives, Casting Choices, and What Comes Next
Hansen maintains he holds no financial stake in the project and received no compensation or consulting role from the production. Speaking about the film’s commercial origins, he questioned the studio’s approach and timing.
My suspicion is that they used my name because it helps in a commercial enterprise. And until I see the full movie, as a reporter, it's sort of silly for me to talk about something that I haven't seen yet.
When asked about the casting decision, Hansen noted that he did not get a voice in choosing who would portray him on screen, adding that he previously thought Denis Leary would have suited the role depending on the timeline. Having missed his chance at an early private look, Hansen stated he will experience the movie the same way general audiences will when it arrives in theaters.
Primetime is scheduled to make its world premiere in competition at the Venice Film Festival before receiving a wide theatrical release on September 25. Whether the distributor will adjust its screening protocols for future promotional events or how the real-life figure’s absence from preview audiences will color the film’s rollout remains to be seen.
