The genuine 'To Catch a Predator' presenter Chris Hansen isn't blessed concerning 'Primetime'

A24's "Primetime" is a fictionalized appearance at the hit display "To Catch a Predator," which aired on NBC from 2004 to 2007. The film, directed by Lance Oppenheim, follows presenter Chris Hansen (Robert Pattinson), who, alongside alongside his manufacturer Andie Bender (Merritt Wever), is resolute to get "To Catch a Predator" to the top of the ratings at any cost.

The show, which ran as part of NBC's "Dateline" newsmagazine franchise, was arguable from the commencement for televising undercover stings. With the assistance of the watchdog collection Perverted Justice, episodes would characteristic hidden-camera footage of Hansen confronting men who arrived at a sting home to have sex alongside a minor. After strained conversations, Hansen would inform the men they were on TV and were liberated to leave. They'd frequently be arrested as shortly as they remaining the house.

All of that is depicted in "Primetime" alongside a frenetic gait and a stylized edge. Pattinson portrays Hansen as a heartless and egotistical TV character driven to create "To Catch a Predator" a ratings hit, foremost to the show's infamous real-life event: the self-destruction of Kaufman County district attorney Bill Conradt, who, following being caught in a Perverted Justice sting, fatally attempt himself as a SWAT squad closed in. A twelvemonth later, the display was canceled.

So anywhere is the genuine Chris Hansen now, and what does he think of the movie's depiction of real-life events?

Chris Hansen has called 'Primetime' a 'complete activity of fiction'

Hansen was not engaged in the making of "Primetime," and he's already voiced his displeasure concerning it. After the movie's archetypal trailer came out, he revealed that he was approached by A24, which offered to display him the movie, but he declined since he refused to sign the required NDA.

After the movie had its earth premiere at the Venice Film Festival in the commencement of September, Hansen told The Hollywood Reporter that the movie is "a complete activity of fiction."

"Based upon what I've seen in the trailer and my understanding of what has been written concerning the film, they wanted to create item much darker and way additional dramatic," he said. "I think it's an criticism to the thousands of men and women who activity difficult all day to defend children from predators."

Hansen did not react to Business Insider's petition for comment.

'To Catch a Predator' helped orchestrate the sting that caught Bill Conradt

In November 2006, "To Catch a Predator" producers and Perverted Justice worked alongside Murphy, Texas, constabulary to behavior stings that would rotate into forthcoming episodes of the show. One of the men caught in the sting turned out to be Bill Conradt, a Kaufman County district attorney.

Conradt had chatted online alongside person who he idea was a 13-year-old boy, but he never traveled to the sting house. So authorities and the display went to him. On the dawn of November 5, 2006, a SWAT squad entered the 56-year-old's residence to assist him hunt and apprehension warrants. As the SWAT squad closed in, Conradt fatally attempt himself.

The event was detailed in the 2009 Esquire story "Tonight on Dateline This Man Will Die," which "Primetime" is based on.

Conradt's family submitted a $105 myriad wrongful death lawsuit against NBC in 2007. A twelvemonth later, NBC settled alongside the family for an undisclosed amount.

What is Chris Hansen doing now?

Hansen remaining NBC in 2013 following his contract wasn't renewed.

Since then, he hosted the Investigation Discovery display "Killer Instinct" in 2015, started a YouTube conduit called "Have a Seat alongside Chris Hansen" in 2019, and cofounded the true infringement streaming assistance TruBlu in 2022. One of the shows on the assistance is "Takedown alongside Chris Hansen," a inquiry display that's akin to "To Catch a Predator."

In delayed August, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Hansen purchased pre-show promotion to run before "Primetime" plays in theaters. In it, he directs audiences to TruBlu.

"Primetime" is in theaters now.