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Robert Pattinson has been glimpsed in his full glory as real-life paedophile hunter Chris Hansen in the latest trailer for his new A24 film.
The British actor, who already courted controversial conversation with Zendaya in The Drama this year, and has thrilled fans as the villainous Antinous in Sir Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, will next star in Primetime.
The movie, which is premiering at Venice Film Festival next month, saw its teaser in May dubbed ‘the trailer of the year’ from 57 seconds alone – but now we get to see far more of what Pattinson is doing. And it’s deliciously dark and intense.
The Batman star, 40, plays TV host Chris Hansen, known for hosting the popular US programme To Catch a Predator, in which he confronted potential adult internet predators after luring them to a sting house to have sex with the help of volunteers from the organisation Perverted-Justice posing as minors.
A camera crew from NBC and, in later episodes, local police would be lying in wait.
In the latest trailer, Pattinson’s Hansen is seen entering from behind a curtain to confront a potential predator (played by Tony Revolori), dressed in a suit and tie.
‘Big night planned? Why don’t you have a seat right there,’ he tells the man. ‘I’m Chris Hansen with Dateline NBC and we’re doing a story on adults who try to meet teens online.’
As camera people come rushing into the room, he adds: ‘You see how this looks, right?’
Pattinson’s vocal transformation to sound like Chicago native Hansen, and mimic his unique tone of voice, is uncanny, with fans previously calling it ‘incredible’ and ‘unreal’.
‘No freaking way that’s Pattinson’s voice. Simply unbelievable,’ shared @stareanddream in the comments under the first trailer on YouTube, while a fan simply commented on the new trailer: ‘Robert Pattinson’s vocal range astounds me.’
Pattinson has previously flexed his vocal abilities in both Mickey 17 and the English dub of Studio Ghibli’s The Boy and the Heron, where he plays the titular heron with admirable dedication.
‘The way Pattinson completely changes in every role is just remarkable. I see an Oscar in his future,’ predicted @PolarPotato000, with plenty commenting on his ‘insane generational run of movies’ in 2026 (with Dune: Part Three still to come).
While the actor has delighted fans with his incredibly memeable read of Antinous demanding, ‘Will somebody get these BEGGARS out of here?’ in The Odyssey, he’s up to it again in Primetime.
Hansen is told by a network executive: ‘I don’t really like your show, but America loves it so I need to move you.’
Slapping a tile with the show’s name on it across those bearing the names of Studio 60 and Lost – the film is set in 2006 – the exec adds: ‘To Catch a Pedator, 9pm. Primetime.’
Pattinson’s Hansen freaks out, shouting to his producer (Merritt Wever): ‘We’re gonna be bigger than Lost!’
The trailer then cuts to Skyler Gisondo as aspiring actor Dan Plumb, who is hired for the show’s sting operations and rushed through the process.
‘Predator has never earned the recognition it deserves,’ Hansen then insists. ‘I want something that matters. No more bottom feeders, I want a whale.’
As the police become involved – and Phoebe Bridgers pops up – Pattinson grows more intense still as Hansen, promising a reluctant Dan: ‘What you’re doing is more than acting. You’re cleansing the world of an ancient evil.’
The trailer then builds to a crescendo, with Pattinson seen both grunting like a monkey and then shouting over the final part of the trailer.
As Ben Wasserman glibly observed: ‘And I thought Chris Hansen’s craziest moment was his South Park appearance.’
The broadcaster, now 66, hosted the Dateline NBC segment To Catch a Predator from 2004 to 2007, before continuing to present similar formats in the true crime space, including the Hansen Vs. Predator segment of Crime Watch Daily.
His accolades include 10 Emmy Awards, and since 2020 he has hosted the podcast Predators I’ve Caught.
‘Robert Pattinson is like if Gary Oldman and Nicolas Cage had a baby. I feel like this may be his best shot at an Oscar in his career so far,’ suggested Victoria, one of several chiming in to talk of awards season buzz.
Primetime, written and directed by documentarian Lance Oppenheim as his narrative feature film debut, also stars Anna Faris as Hansen’s wife, Matthew Maher, Bokeem Woodbine and former Stuart Little child star Jonathan Lipnicki.
Pattinson also produces alongside Eddington and Midsommar filmmaker Ari Aster.
Primetime will premiere at the Venice Film Festival in September. It will release in UK and Irish cinemas this autumn.