Chris Hansen labels A24's 'Primetime' an insult and considers legal options
Former NBC correspondent Chris Hansen criticized the fictionalized film 'Primetime' for using his name without consent and said he may pursue legal action while promoting his own true-crime streaming platform.
A24’s drama "Primetime," which dramatizes the 2006 "To Catch a Predator" series, premiered at the Venice Film Festival on Sept. 5 and will open in select U.S. theaters on Sept. 25. The film stars Robert Pattinson as a fictionalized version of former NBC journalist Chris Hansen and includes appearances by former NBC chief Jeff Zucker.
Hansen, who has not seen the movie, said the studio offered to screen it only if he signed a nondisclosure agreement he deemed overly restrictive. He declined, describing the proposed NDA as “sneaky and somewhat disingenuous.”
"I think it’s an insult to the thousands of men and women who work hard every day to protect children from predators. They turn something that is very positive, very challenging and not without risk into what is essentially a horror film," Hansen told The Hollywood Reporter from Chicago.
He added that the film’s use of his name and likeness was driven by commercial value rather than a desire for accuracy, and that A24 had not consulted him despite the story’s basis in real events.
"They used the name, and they never want to answer that question," Hansen said, noting that the studio’s response was that the project was "loosely based" on his work.
The director, Lance Oppenheim, and writer Ajon Singh have framed the narrative as a fictionalized account, and legal experts say the NDA language exceeded typical boilerplate terms. Hansen’s legal team is reviewing possible actions, though he acknowledged the high bar for defamation claims involving public figures.
"I can’t rule anything out until I see the film," Hansen said, adding that he continues to produce true-crime content on his streaming service TruBlu, which he promoted through an advertising buy placed before early screenings of the movie.
The film’s climax portrays the 2006 death of Texas assistant district attorney Bill Conradt, a scene based on an Esquire article and the real-life outcome of a Dateline sting. Hansen maintained that his team reported the incident transparently and that the police, not the journalists, made the decision to arrest Conradt.
A24 has not commented publicly on Hansen’s objections. The movie has generated mixed reviews, with some critics suggesting it blurs the line between investigative journalism and exploitation.