Chris Hansen Rejects Film Dramatization of Investigative TV Series

Industry Pulse News Desk · 2026-09-25

Former host Chris Hansen calls the upcoming feature film about his hit show a work of fiction that misrepresents real-life predator stings.

Former television host Chris Hansen has publicly criticized the upcoming feature film "Primetime," calling the dramatization of his 2000s investigative franchise "To Catch a Predator" a complete work of fiction. Hansen stated he had no involvement in the project, which depicts the aggressive behind-the-scenes tactics used to produce the television news magazine segment.

The film, produced by A24 and directed by Lance Oppenheim, stars actor Robert Pattinson as Hansen. It portrays the production team's relentless pursuit of viewership while staging hidden-camera stings in coordination with an online watchdog group. Hansen declined an offer to view an advance screening of the movie after refusing to sign a non-disclosure agreement presented by the production company.

Addressing the film following its festival premiere, Hansen argued that the project dramatizes real events to create a darker narrative. He asserted that the portrayal undermines the efforts of law enforcement officials and child protection advocates who worked alongside the original television broadcast team during its run on NBC from 2004 to 2007.

"Primetime" focuses heavily on a controversial 2006 incident in Texas involving a county district attorney who fatally shot himself as law enforcement officers and news producers arrived at his home to execute a search warrant. The prosecutor's family subsequently filed a wrongful death lawsuit against NBC, which was settled out of court in 2008 prior to the franchise's cancellation.

Hansen departed NBC in 2013 following the expiration of his contract. In recent years, he has continued hosting independent true-crime programs and co-founded a digital streaming network dedicated to investigative reporting.