LOS ANGELES - Chris Hansen will not be attending the upcoming premiere of Primetime, the A24-backed drama about his infamous To Catch a Predator years, and the veteran TV journalist says there’s a simple reason: the studio wanted him to surrender his legal rights as a condition of entry.
In a statement issued Tuesday, Hansen confirmed he skipped the screening after A24 presented him with a waiver that would have required him to sign away any claims related to the film’s portrayal of him. “They wanted me to sign away my rights just to watch a movie,” Hansen said. “That’s not something I’m willing to do, and it’s not something anyone should have to do to see a film about their own life.”
The 110-minute crime drama, directed by Lance Oppenheim, is scheduled for a September 11 release and stars Robert Pattinson as Hansen. The film chronicles the journalist’s 2006 investigation that turned a local news segment into a national phenomenon, blending crime, drama, and thriller elements as it follows the production of the infamous sting operation that led to dozens of arrests and a cultural reckoning about online predation.
Hansen, who has not seen the finished film, reiterated that he has no quarrel with the project itself - only with the legal terms attached to the screening. “I’m not trying to stop the movie,” he said. “I’m not suing anyone. I just don’t think I should have to give up my rights to watch a dramatization of events I lived through.”
The waiver, which Hansen described as “broad and binding,” is not unusual in Hollywood, where studios often require attendees at early screenings to acknowledge potential legal exposure, especially for films based on real people. But the scope of this particular document, which Hansen says included language about waiving claims related to defamation, invasion of privacy, and right of publicity, gave him pause.
“I’ve been in television for decades,” he said. “I’ve been through legal battles. I know what a standard release looks like. This was not standard. This was asking me to give up a lot for a ticket to a theater.”
A24 has not publicly commented on Hansen’s claims, and representatives for the studio did not respond to requests for clarification. However, a source familiar with the production told USA Film News that the studio’s legal team routinely uses tailored waivers for biographical projects and that the document was “not intended to silence anyone, but to protect the film from potential litigation based on artistic interpretation.”
That interpretation, as revealed in the film’s synopsis, centers on Hansen’s drive to “make television history” in 2006. The movie’s cast includes Merritt Wever as Lynn Keller, a producer on the segment, and Skyler Gisondo as Dan Plumb, a role likely inspired by one of the show’s field producers. Anna Faris portrays Mary Joan Hansen, while musicians Phoebe Bridgers and Eric Rahill appear in supporting roles alongside Matthew Maher, Bokeem Woodbine, and others.
Oppenheim, known for his documentary work on subjects like carnival life and the rise of a controversial mega-church, brings a distinct visual style to narrative filmmaking here. Early reviews have not yet been published, and the film holds a 0/10 rating on TMDb - a placeholder score given that the film has not screened widely.
Hansen’s absence from the premiere is notable not just for the legal dispute it highlights, but for what it says about the ongoing tension between real-life figures and the filmmakers who dramatize their stories. “I understand they have a movie to sell,” Hansen said. “But I also understand that my story isn’t a fictional property. It’s my life. And I’d like to be able to see how they tell it without signing away my ability to respond if they get something wrong.”
The journalist’s stance has drawn support from some media watchdogs, who argue that biographical subjects are often pressured into silence through legal threats, real or implied. Others, however, note that Hansen himself has faced criticism over the years for his own reporting tactics, including accusations that the sting operations crossed ethical lines - a subject the film is likely to explore.
For now, Hansen says he plans to see the movie eventually, but on his own terms. “I’ll buy a ticket like everyone else,” he said. “If they want to give me a regular seat, I’ll take it. But I’m not signing anything.”
Primetime opens in theaters nationwide on September 11, 2026.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
