Chris Hansen, known for his role in the investigative series "To Catch a Predator," may pursue legal action against A24 over the upcoming film "Primetime," starring Robert Pattinson. Hansen stated he was barred from a screening of the movie at A24's New York headquarters because he declined to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).
Hansen told Page Six that he was only informed about "Primetime" in May. He expressed concern about being unable to view the film about his life, indicating that he would decide on his "right to a [legal] remedy" after seeing how he is portrayed. "When someone makes a movie about you but won’t let you see it, you do have to wonder why they won’t let you see it," Hansen said.
A24 reportedly told Hansen that the film, inspired by the 2007 Esquire article "Tonight on Dateline This Man Will Die," is a fictionalized portrayal and did not require his direct outreach. However, Hansen and his legal team remain unconvinced.
"Primetime," which features Pattinson in the role of Hansen, is scheduled for theatrical release on September 5. Despite his reservations, Hansen maintains a cordial stance towards the studio, noting that A24 staffers were pleasant and expressing hope that the movie will be fair. He also indicated that he is prepared for the possibility of being disappointed by the film's content.
In the meantime, Hansen is leveraging the attention to promote his own ventures. He has purchased advertisements to be shown before theater screenings of "Primetime," advertising his true crime streaming service, TruBlu, and its show "Takedown with Chris Hansen."
A24 has declined to comment on the matter.