Chris Hansen is leaving legal action against the makers of the film Primetime on the table, according to a recent interview.
In a talk with Dan Abrams, the To Catch a Predator host said, “People are looking at it,” when asked if he’s considering legal action against the A24 movie, which stars Robert Pattinson as Hansen. The latest trailer came out earlier this month.
Hansen added during the interview that a person versed and entrenched in entertainment law told him, “‘You can do that, and you probably have a decent case. How much time do you want to spend doing it?’”
He wants to avoid turning his objections into marketing ammunition for the film, Hansen said. “If you protest it too much do they turn it into a promotional situation where ‘This is the movie Chris Hansen doesn’t want you to see.’ Well, in reality it’s the movie Chris Hansen hasn’t even seen.”
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That last line was a reference to Hansen not being allowed to see an advance screening of Primetime after he wouldn’t sign certain legal documents.
Hansen went on to say he had ethical issues with the secrecy of the filmmakers and the lack of transparency with him about the movie and claimed no one contacted him until a day before the first trailer was released. He said the filmmakers are making a fictional film but using his name for its commercial value.
“It feels very exploitive to me,” Hansen said. “It feels sneaky and disingenuous to me that they would do this and not even say ‘This is what we’re doing.’” He continued, “This is an example of Hollywood exploitation.”
The interview came after news that Hansen bought advertising before every screening of the movie to promote his streaming network TruBlu.
Primetime, directed by Lance Oppenheim, comes out September 25th. Alongside Pattinson are co-stars Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo, and Phoebe Bridgers in her first major acting role.
