Robert Pattinson Officially Responds to Chris Hansen’s ‘Primetime’ Insult: “Absolutely insane”

Following the release of Robert Pattinson’s 2026 flick, Primetime, it seems that the actor has finally responded to Chris Hansen’s insult when he called the movie a disgrace. Being a movie about Chris Hansen, who was the host of the iconic show To Catch a Predator, Robert Pattinson starred in the lead role.

However, the backlash from Hansen has been quite noticeable. So much so that Robert Pattinson had to officially address the insult while speaking in an interview with the Associated Press. The Batman star revealed that he isn’t surprised by Hansen’s reaction, but he is surprised by the amount of traction everything is getting.

He’s a public person. He is also just being asked about it. It’s kind of, I mean, I get it. But I’m surprised about the level of traction that everything gets. The fact that people are still discussing the ethics of it, of a 20-year-old TV show, I mean it’s absolutely insane.

Although his show was a critical hit, Hansen’s methods were called unethical, and To Catch a Predator ended its reign in 2008. Here’s what the show was about, and what controversies led to the show’s eventual cancelation.

What Was To Catch a Predator About: The Show That Inspired Primetime

Robert Pattinson in a still from Primetime | Credits: A24

As the title suggests, To Catch a Predator was a show that featured p*dophiles being caught on live camera. Chris Hansen hosted the show and had amassed quite a fan following during its run. Adults would pretend to be underage kids and ask the predators to come to a fake house.

Following a confrontation, the police would be waiting outside to confront these predators and bring them to justice. Being a hit show, Chris Hansen had to keep up with a lot of things. This finally led to a bad confrontation when, in November 2006, one suspect, Louis William “Bill” Conradt Jr., an assistant district attorney in Texas, killed himself.

With a SWAT team encircling him, Louis William decided to take his own life. This led to a lawsuit, which was settled out of court. However, the show came to an end in 2008. The set of events is what inspired Robert Pattinson’s 2026 flick, Primetime, and it is this exact movie that Hansen called a disgrace.

Why Chris Hansen Called The Film an Insult to His Life

Chris Hansen in a still from To Catch a Predator | Credits: NBC

During his talks regarding the movie, Chris Hansen revealed that he wasn’t asked to be involved in the making of the film. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Hansen called the move “sneaky and disingenuous”.

The host also mentioned that the film appeared to be much darker and way more dramatic than reality and claimed that it was an insult to the people who work relentlessly to catch predators.

[It] is an insult to the thousands of men and women who work hard every day to protect children from predators.

Although Hansen isn’t wrong in his thoughts, it seems that Robert Pattinson is also right in his own way. With Lance Oppenheim helming the director’s chair and starring Robert Pattinson in the lead role, Primetime is all set to release. Hopefully, to a positive reaction.

Do you think Primetime is an insult? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Primetime will release on September 25, 2026.