Robert Pattinson’s true-crime thriller Primetime has arrived in UK cinemas, following its US release a month earlier. Directed by Lance Oppenheim, the film takes inspiration from To Catch a Predator, a segment featured on NBC’s Dateline and presented by Chris Hansen.

The programme ran from 2004 to 2007, focusing on efforts to catch adult men who arrived at a sting house intending to have sex with minors. The operation involved adults posing as underage targets during online conversations.

Pattinson takes on the role of Hansen, with Severance star Merritt Wever playing the show’s producer, Andie Bender. Singer Phoebe Bridgers appears as Del, one of the decoys, while Skyler Gisondo portrays Dan, an eager aspiring actor recruited for the same role.

Primetime began preview screenings across the UK on 28 October, ahead of its wider cinema release on 30 October. The dates follow the film’s UK debut at the BFI London Film Festival earlier this month.

Penned by Ajon Singh, the story draws loosely from Luke Dittrich’s 2007 Esquire article, “Tonight on Dateline This Man Will Die.” It follows Hansen’s downward spiral as he becomes increasingly determined to boost ratings and put predators behind bars, regardless of the consequences.

Pattinson also serves as a co-producer alongside Ari Aster and others. The film offers an unsettling examination of a troubling chapter in recent network television history, prompting questions about shared responsibility and the blurred boundary between public service and public spectacle.

Sitting at the crossroads of internet culture and vigilante justice, Primetime has been described by Awards Watch as a “gripping thriller about a cultural phenomenon”.

The cast also features Alex Winter, Anna Faris and Tony Revolori. Primetime has earned a Certified Fresh status on Rotten Tomatoes, with an 86% critics’ score based on 249 reviews at the time of writing. Audience response has been positive as well, giving the film a 78% score on the platform.

Primetime is now showing in UK cinemas.

Source: Various