Robert Pattinson is addressing Chris Hansen’s concerns.
The actor—who is starring in the upcoming A24 film Primetime, which chronicles Hansen’s controversial stint at the helm of Dateline NBC’s To Catch a Predator—spoke out after the former TV host criticized Pattinson’s portrayal.
“Obviously, I hope he likes the movie,” Pattinson said at the Venice Film Festival press conference Sept. 5, per Variety. “There’s something electrifying about him. I would hope the amount of inspiration his character has given a lot of people for years is some kind of compliment.”
In the psychological thriller, Pattinson plays Hansen, an over ambitious journalist who sets out to catch adult men hoping to meet up with minors.
As for the Twilight alum’s thoughts on Hansen?
“There’s something magnetic about his presence. I watched the show when I was younger and didn’t think about it,” he added. “There’s a strange alchemy—something he’s doing is the reason people are still talking about that show 20 years later. It’s not to do solely with the subject matter. It was something about the show that was groundbreaking, but then he’s someone centering it.”
He continued, “There’s something, even after watching literally thousands of hours of it, you can’t put your finger on it.”
But Hansen—who hosted the investigative reality show from 2004 to 2007—condemned how he was depicted in the film’s trailer.
“Obviously, he has practiced imitating me, and while I think it’s overly dramatic, I think there is a pretty good imitation there in the trailer,” Hansen told Entertainment Tonight in a recent interview. “It’s not so much what I think; it’s what other people think. And you know, my wife [and] my family seem to think it’s a pretty good imitation.”
“He’s saying things I never said and doing things I never did, and that’s not who I am. I’m a nice guy, except when it comes to criminals and predators,” he added. “I think people should remember that it is a work of fiction, only based on real-life events.”
At its peak, To Catch a Predator drew over 6 million viewers per episode. However, the Dateline franchise was discontinued amid a flurry of controversies, including when William Conradt Jr., an assistant district attorney in Texas, died by suicide in 2006 upon being discovered by the sting crew.
Condradt’s sister later filed a $109 million lawsuit against NBC for his death, and the network settled for an undisclosed amount in 2008.
Hansen officially parted ways with NBC in 2013, when his contract was not renewed, before starting his podcast series Predators I’ve Caught, based on the Dateline franchise inn 2020. Now, he's urging viewers to tune in “if they want to see the real Chris Hansen.”
Until Primetime hits theaters Sept. 25, keep reading for more movies coming out soon…
Practical Magic 2 - September 11, 2026
The witchy Owens sisters return in this sequel to the 1998 classic. Starring Nicole Kidman, Sandra Bullock, Lee Pace, Joey King, and Maisie Williams.
Where to Watch: In theaters
Buy a ticket HERE.
The Love Hypothesis - September 23, 2026
Based on the New York Times best-seller, The Love Hypothesis follows Olive (Lili Reinhart), a Ph.D. candidate who impulsively kisses her department's most intimidating professor, Adam Carlsen (Tom Bateman). Their mutual need for a fake relationship turns into an experiment in chemistry that might actually solve for love.
Where to Watch: Streaming on Prime Video
Unabomber - September 25, 2026
Inspired by true events, Unabomber follows Ted Kaczynski’s (Jacob Tremblay) transformation from Harvard prodigy into the infamous domestic terrorist. Also starring Russell Crowe, Shailene Woodley and Annabelle Wallis.
Where to Watch: Streaming on Netflix
Verity - October 2, 2026
Adapted from Colleen Hoover's best-selling novel, this psychological thriller follows renowned author Verity Crawford (Anne Hathaway) and Lowen Ashleigh (Dakota Johnson), a struggling writer who relocates to the remote Crawford estate to ghostwrite for Verity.
Where to Watch: In theaters
Buy a ticket HERE.
Digger - October 2, 2026
Tom Cruise teams up with Oscar-winning director Alejandro G. Iñárritu for this black comedy the world's most powerful man as he embarks on a frantic mission to prove he is humanity’s savior before the disaster he’s unleashed destroys everything.
Where to Watch: In theaters
Buy a ticket HERE.
Below - October 8, 2026
Josh Hartnett stars as a fisherman who must fight to hold his close-knit community together when an unidentified sea creature begins terrorizing his hometown.
Where to Watch: Streaming on Netflix
The Social Reckoning - October 9, 2026
A companion piece to 2010's The Social Network, writer/director Aaron Sorkin's new film is inspired by the true story of a young Facebook engineer (Mikey Madison) who enlists the help of a Wall Street Journal reporter (Jeremy Allen White) to go on a dangerous journey that ends up blowing the whistle on Mark Zuckerberg (Jeremy Strong) and the social network’s most guarded secrets.
Where to watch: In theaters
Buy a ticket HERE.
Animals - October 9, 2026
Matchbox The Movie - October 9, 2026
In this action-packed adventure inspired by the iconic Mattel toys, an undercover CIA agent (John Cena) returns to his small town and unwittingly gets his childhood friends embroiled in a frantic international pursuit to save the world.
Where to Watch: Streaming on Apple TV
Always Lalisa - October 12, 2026
This documentary feature follows a pivotal year in superstar LISA’s life, as, for the first time since childhood, she steps away from BLACKPINK for a year of independence.
Where to Watch: In theaters starting October 12, then streaming exclusively on YouTube Premium later this year
Buy a ticket HERE.
Sense and Sensibility - October 16, 2026
Daisy Edgar-Jones stars as Elinor Dashwood in this latest adaptation of Jane Austen's beloved novel. Also starring Fiona Shaw, Caitríona Balfe, George MacKay, and Esmé Creed-Miles.
Where to Watch: In theaters
Buy a ticket HERE.
Street Fighter - October 16, 2026
A live-action version of the legendary arcade game, starring Noah Centineo, Jason Momoa, 50 Cent, and many more as the iconic fighters.
Where to Watch: In theaters
Buy a ticket HERE.
Sacrifice - October 16, 2026
During a charity gala brimming with celebrities and billionaires, a movie star in the midst of an existential crisis (Chris Evans) is taken hostage by an eco-warrior (Anya Taylor-Joy) and her devoted followers.
Where to Watch: Streaming on Netflix
Wicker - October 23, 2026
Alexander Skarsgard transforms for his role as the Wicker Husband made for Olivia Colman's ostracized fisherwoman in this unconventional love story.
Where to Watch: In select theaters on October 23, expanding October 30, 2026.
A Talent for Murder - October 23, 2026
This thriller follows a mysterious young man from a New York publisher (Alden Ehrenreich) who is sent to Switzerland to persuade the renowned writer Patricia Highsmith (Helen Mirren) to write one final installment of the Ripley anthology.
Where to Watch: In theaters
Buy a ticket HERE.
The Cat in the Hat - November 6, 2026
Based on the beloved Dr. Seuss book, this animated adaptation will feature the voices of Bill Hader, Quinta Brunson, Bowen Yang, and America Ferrera.
Where to Watch: In theaters
Buy a ticket HERE.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping - November 20, 2026
This highly anticipated prequel revisits the world of Panem and follows young Haymitch Abernathy (Joseph Zada) twenty-four years before the events of The Hunger Games. Also starring Glenn Close, Whitney Peak, Elle Fanning, Ralph Fiennes, Mckenna Grace and Maya Hawke.
Where to Watch: In theaters
Buy a ticket HERE.
Focker-In-Law - November 25, 2026
Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro reunite alongside Ariana Grande for this new chapter in the Meet the Parents franchise.
Where to Watch: In theaters
Buy a ticket HERE.
The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth - November 25, 2026
Brad Pitt returns to his Academy Award-winning role as Cliff Booth, only this time it’s 1977 and it’s a very different Hollywood. Directed by David Fincher from a screenplay by Quentin Tarantino, and also starring Elizabeth Debicki, Scott Caan, Carla Gugino, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II.
Where to Watch: In IMAX theaters starting Nov. 25, then streaming on Netflix on Dec. 23.
Hexed - November 25, 2026
This animated coming-of-age saga follows an impulsive teenage girl named Billie (Hailee Steinfeld) who discovers secret magical abilities which hurtle her into a spectacular journey out of suburbia and into a vast witch realm called Hexe.
Where to Watch: In theaters
Buy a ticket HERE.
Avengers: Doomsday - December 18, 2026
An insanely star-studded cast of MCU fan-favorites return to our screens in this fifth installment of the Avengers film series.
Where to Watch: In theaters
Buy a ticket HERE.
Dune: Part Three - December 18, 2026
Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet return to deliver the epic conclusion to director Denis Villeneuve’s trilogy. Also starring Jason Momoa, Florence Pugh, Rebecca Ferguson, Anya Taylor-Joy, Robert Pattinson, and Javier Bardem.
Where to Watch: In theaters and IMAX
Buy a ticket HERE.
Jumanji: Open World - December 25, 2026
The core cast (Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillan, Jack Black and Kevin Hart) returns for this final installment of the reboot trilogy about a magical board game.
Where to Watch: In theaters