Robert Pattinson's "gripping" true-crime thriller is finally available to watch in the UK

Robert Pattinson's true-crime thriller Primetime has finally landed in UK cinemas a month after releasing in the US. Directed by Lance Oppenheim, the film is inspired by reality TV series To Catch a Predator, a segment broadcast as part of NBC's Dateline and hosted by presenter Chris Hansen.

Aired between 2004 and 2007, the programme aimed to catch adult men arriving at a sting house to have sex with minors, with adults impersonating underage targets in online chats.

Pattinson stars as Hansen, while Severance star Merritt Wever featuring as the show's producer Andie Bender, singer Phoebe Bridgers playing Del, one of the show's decoys, and Skyler Gisondo appearing as Dan, a wide-eyed, aspiring actor who's cast as a decoy.

Primetime has been holding previews this side of the pond from today (28 October) ahead of general release on 30 October – weeks after receiving its UK premiere at the BFI London Film Festival earlier this month.

Written by Ajon Singh, the film is loosely based on Luke Dittrich's 2007 Esquire article, 'Tonight on Dateline This Man Will Die' and details the descending spiral that Pattinson's Hansen goes on, stopping at nothing to keep ratings high and landing predators behind bars.

Co-produced by Pattinson and Ari Aster, among others, Primetime is an uncomfortable look at a dark time in recent network TV's history, forcing viewers to reflect on collective responsibility and treading the fine line between public service and public spectacle.

The film exists in the grey space at the intersection of Internet culture and vigilante justice, and has been described as a "gripping thriller about a cultural phenomenon" by Awards Watch.

Also starring Alex Winter, Anna Faris and Tony Revolori, Primetime is currently Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a critic score of 86% from 249 reviews at the time of writing. Viewers have similarly enjoyed it, as the film has a 78% audiene rating on the platform.

Primetime is out in UK cinemas now.

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Reporter, Digital Spy

Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy. 

Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).