Primetime Premieres at Venice to Acclaim

Robert Pattinson’s new thriller Primetime received a rapturous reception at its world premiere during the Venice Film Festival on Saturday, September 5, 2026. The film, which stars Pattinson as former To Catch a Predator host Chris Hansen, was met with a standing ovation lasting between seven and nine minutes, according to reports from the event. The premiere was attended by Pattinson’s partner, Suki Waterhouse, who was seen cheering and kissing the actor during the applause. Directed by Lance Oppenheim, Primetime dramatizes the production of the controversial NBC Dateline series that aired from 2004 to 2007. The film focuses on the show’s operations, which used hidden cameras and decoys to confront men suspected of seeking sexual encounters with minors. The series was ultimately canceled following the suicide of a Texas prosecutor during a sting operation. The screenplay, written by Ajon Singh, is based on Luke Dittrich’s 2007 Esquire article, “Tonight on Dateline: This Man Will Die.” Early critical reaction has been largely positive, with the film holding a 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes based on 14 reviews at the time of publication.